Lipitor Can Cause Severe Muscle Problems
More and more evidence is pointing towards statin drugs causing muscle pain and even debilitating muscle problems.
There are generally three types of muscle trauma that people experience from statin medications, says Dr. William Shiel, a specialist in muscle and joint conditions. The first is muscle aching, which typically goes away within a couple weeks after stopping statin treatment. The second experience is muscle pain and mild muscle inflammation with or without a feeling of weakness. A blood test may reveal elevated levels of CPK enzymes which typically mean that the skeletal muscle is injured or under stress. This can take up to a few months to heal. The third condition (rhabdomyolysis) is most serious involving severe muscle inflammation, weakness, and the breakdown of muscle. Patients experience muscle damage and pain throughout their entire body. Elevated CPK enzymes can also accumulate and damage the kidney.
Jill Slade, assistant professor of radiology and osteopathic manipulative medicine at MSU, believes that the muscle damage caused by statin drugs is underestimated. Her current study is following 50 patients on statin medications to track their muscle integrity through magnetic resonance imaging. “While statins have tremendously helped millions of Americans lower their cholesterol and improve their cardiac health, we need to be confident we are not causing other problems in the body,” Slade said. “Statins work by preventing cholesterol from forming. While this is a good thing inside structures such as liver cells, it can be problematic in places such as muscle cells.”
A recent study at the University of Alabama supports this. It shows that statins may prevent skeletal muscle from repairing and regenerating normally due to the anti-proliferative effects of the drug. The researchers also agree that the current 7 percent of patients reporting skeletal muscle problems may not be accurate. Dr. Anna Thalacker-Mercer said, “It is possible that older adults may not be able to distinguish between muscle pain related to a statin effect or an effect of aging and therefore adverse effects of statins in older adults may be under-reported.”
Dr. Shiel stated that it is important for patients and doctors to be extra aware of this potential side effect because it is easier to treat the sooner it is found. “When discovered late, it can lead to serious injury—not only to the muscles but also potentially to the kidneys and heart.” In 2001 the FDA pulled one statin drug, Baycol, off the market because it was shown to be the cause of 31 deaths from muscle tissue breakdown (rhabdomyolysis). From Dr. Shiel’s experience, “Of all causes [of muscle pain] statin drugs are what I see as the most common culprits.”
What do you think? Have you experienced any muscle pain after taking statin drugs like Lipitor? Please leave a comment about any side effects or experiences you have had with this drug!
10. December 2008 at 11:01 pm :
Been taking lipitior for one year, after heart attack the day after thanksgiviing in 2007, saw side effects on internet in April or May stopped taking for about three weeks, talked to a man that had been taking lipitor for a while, and said dont believe everything you read. Bad information, started taking again, now around the middle of Nov, 08 started having pain in shoulders, while working strain or pulled inside muscle on left forearm, then a couple days later pain continued up on inside of left arm, then about three days later pain on forearm on right arm in up to shoulder. STUDIED side effects again, LIPITOR IS THE PROBLEM, NO DOUBT IN MY MIND. STOPPED WILL SEE MY DOCTOR ASAP
29. December 2008 at 9:02 pm :
I have unexplained muscle pain. I stopped taking Lipitor.