The Daily Mail reported that the statin simvastatin is linked to sleep problems and weight gain (8 November 2007). The article was based on an abstract published in Circulation and a press release. Full details of the research have not been published, therefore its quality and reliability cannot be assessed.
-
On the 8 November 2007, The Daily Mail (1) reported that the statin simvastatin is linked to sleep problems and weight gain.
-
The newspaper article was based on a conference abstract published in Circulation (2), and a press release by the American Heart Association (3). The abstract gave brief details of a randomised, double blind trial that compared simvastatin 20mg, pravastatin 40mg and placebo in 1016 people over a six month period. The effect of these on sleep patterns was established using the Leeds sleep scale; this was described as a secondary outcome of the study. The study showed that simvastatin was associated with poorer sleep quality and a greater number of sleep problems than either pravastatin or placebo; there was no difference between pravastatin and placebo.
-
The Daily Mail accurately reported the overall conclusion of the abstract relating to the disruption of sleeping patterns. The newspaper also stated that simvastatin may be associated with weight gain and increased aggression; the former was only mentioned briefly in the press release, and the latter was not mentioned in either the abstract or press release. The newspaper did not state that pravastatin was not associated with sleep disturbances. It is not possible to comment on the accuracy or quality of the study, as full details have not been published.
Systematic reviews
Information staff at CRD searched for systematic reviews relevant to this topic. Systematic reviews are valuable sources of evidence as they locate, appraise and synthesize all available evidence on a particular topic.
There were no related systematic reviews identified on the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) or on the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE).
References and resources
1. Statin linked to sleep problems and weight gain. Daily Mail, 8 November 2007, p30.
2. Golomb BA, Kwon EK, Criqui MH, Dimsdale JE. Abstract 3725: Simvastatin but not pravastatin affects sleep: findings from the UCSD Statin Study. Circulation 2007;116(16 Suppl):II_847.
3. Cholesterol-lowering drug linked to sleep disruptions. American Heart Association Press Release 8 November 2007
4. Ward S, Lloyd Jones M, Pandor A, Holmes M, Ara R, Ryan A, Yeo W, Payne N. A systematic review and economic evaluation of statins for the prevention of coronary events. Health Technology Assessment 2007;11(14):1-184.
Consumer information
British Heart Foundation
Stroke Association
NHS Direct - Cholesterol
Further information about Hitting the Headlines
Further information about Hitting the Headlines, together with selected relevant links, can be found at http://www.library.nhs.uk/hth/.
