Statin drugs carry low risk of muscle damage leading to kidney failure

Confusion about drug safety has been reignited after a study released results that most statin drugs carried a low risk of a potentially lethal muscle disorder called rhabdomyolysis. The study involved statin the statin drugs Baycol, Lipitor, Pravachol and Zochor. Crestor was not tested as it became available only after the study had commenced. Baycol was removed from sale in 2001 following findings that it was allegedly responsible for 31 cases of rhabdomyolysis (muscle tissue disintegration leading to excess chemical released into bloodstream causing kidney failure) leading to death. The study found that 1 in 23,000 consumers of statin drugs developed rhabdomyolysis and Baycol increased the risk by ten times. A combination of statin drugs with other cholester-loweing drugs (eg Lopid, Tricor) resulted in 60 per 100,000 people developing rhabdomyolysis. Researchers believe that the risk may be much higher for older diabetics. FDA warnings about Crestor followed discoveries that it may be problematic for people with underactive thyroids, kidney problems and those over 65. Symptoms of rhabdomhyolyosis include muscle soreness and dark urine.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by Web MD Extra

Related Disease Topics:

• Rhabdomyolysis
• Kidney failure
• Muscle damage
• Muscle disorder
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Underactive thyroid
• Kidney problems

Related Symptom Topics:

• Muscle soreness
• Dark urine

Article Source Details

About: Statin drugs carry low risk of muscle damage leading to kidney failure

Date: 22 November 2004

Source: Web MD Extra

URL: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/22/health/webmd/main657021.shtml

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Cause of rhabdomyolysis
• Cause of kidney failure
• Cause of muscle damage
• Cause of muscle disorder
• Cause of kidney problems
• Death from rhabdomyolysis
• Death from kidney failure
• Death from muscle damage
• Death from muscle disorder
• Death from kidney problems
• Research
• Research and rhabdomyolysis
• Research and kidney failure
• Research and muscle damage
• Research and muscle disorder
• Research and diabetes
• Research and high cholesterol
• Research and underactive thyroid
• Research and kidney problems
• Medication
• Medication and rhabdomyolysis
• Medication and kidney failure
• Medication and muscle damage
• Medication and muscle disorder
• Medication and diabetes
• Medication and high cholesterol
• Medication and underactive thyroid
• Medication and kidney problems

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