DEAR DR. GOTT:
My husband is 63 years old, 5’ 11”, 145 pounds (small frame) and has a blood pressure of 115/70. He currently takes 20 mg Lipitor for an untreated cholesterol level of 280.
I would like to know if statins can suppress the immune system. My husband and I usually catch the same cold but I recover in three days while his takes up to a month, sometimes more. Right now he has had cold symptoms (congestion and fatigue) for 10 days. It doesn’t seem to have progressed to a sinus infection yet. It is the same with every cold.
I haven’t spoken to my personal physician yet, but I don’t believe he would even consider the possibility of a link. I have done my own research on Google and there seems to be a possible connection but finding a reliable source that says so is difficult.
DEAR READER:
Your question at first glance seemed fairly easy to answer but upon further investigation, I found it quite complicated.
As you have noted there is very little in the way of reliable information on the internet but I did come across a study on the effects of three statin drugs (simvastatin, lovastatin, mevastatin) on multiple sclerosis symptoms. The results showed that the medications appeared to modify the immune response. The findings were cited in many medical journals including International Immunology, the Journal of Immunology, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and several others.
Whether the Lipitor is responsible for your husband’s prolonged colds is difficult to say but there is some evidence that this may be possible. The best way to determine if this is the case is to look into your husband’s medical history. Was he susceptible to colds before the medication was started? Did he have prolonged or quickly worsening symptoms? Does he have more viral and/or bacterial infections now than he did before the statin? These are all things that you can and should discuss with your husband’s physician. If he refuses to listen and passes it off, perhaps you should ask for a referral to allergy and immunology specialist to discuss the situation. The specialist can also order testing to determine if your husband has a weakened immune system or if indeed his medication is causing this reaction.
As an aside, if your husband’s physician immediately passes off strange symptoms because he doesn’t know the answer or simply doesn’t care to investigate, you should voice your concerns. In medicine, nearly everything is within the realm of possibility. As a whole, very little is known about the body, how it works when healthy and more importantly, how it works (or stops working) when ill. Every person is different and how different illnesses, infections and diseases affects them also varies. It is always vital to investigate patients’ concerns not only to make them feel better but to ensure that something serious isn’t missed.
Let me know how this turns out as I would like to know if, indeed, statin medications can alter immune responses.
To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Understanding Cholesterol”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.
About Dr. Gott