Side effects from oral medications include gastrointestinal upset, rash and abnormal liver function.

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Abnormal liver function is found in nearly 10 percent of patients tested.

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Because so many things can cause abnormal liver function, it may be necessary to start and stop a cholesterol-lowering drug several times while conducting the tests to see whether it is the cause of the problem.

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The most common adverse reactions in patients treated with KYNAMRO that led to treatment discontinuation and occurred at a rate greater than placebo were: injection site reactions (5.0%), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased (3.4%), flu-like symptoms (2.7%), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased (2.3%), and liver function test abnormal (1.5%).

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More common side effects include dry skin, dry eyes and abnormal results of lab tests such as those of liver function.

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