More than 200 million people take medicines called statins. These medicines lower cholesterol, a fatty substance in the blood. They help prevent heart attacks and strokes. But some people get muscle pain, weak muscles or tiredness. A small number have serious muscle damage. This can make their kidneys stop working. Some people stop taking statins because of muscle problems. They can then lose important protection for their hearts.
Scientists studied atorvastatin, one medicine in this group. They used a special tool to take very detailed pictures of a protein inside muscle cells. This protein works like a gate. It controls calcium, a mineral that helps muscles move. Statins can keep this gate open. Calcium then keeps passing through and can hurt the muscles. Three small pieces of the medicine, called molecules, work together. The first makes the gate more likely to open. Two more then hold it open.
Other statins may affect muscles in a similar way. Scientists hope to change these medicines so they do not keep the gate open. The aim is to lower cholesterol with fewer muscle problems. The finding could help them make safer medicines, but they need to do more research before new treatments are ready.
