ZOCOR: Popular Cholesterol Lowering Medication Linked To Serious Muscle Injury

Many Americans face the problem of high cholesterol levels in their blood. Having above average cholesterol levels may lead to increased health risks or health problems including heart disease, chest pain, stroke, and heart attack, among other things. For this reason simvastatin, under the brand name Zocor, is a popular medication for several individuals. Zocor is in the class of drugs called statins. Statin drugs are used to lower plasma cholesterol levels. Although many statin medications carry a risk of muscle injury, also called myopathy, the need for lower cholesterol levels typically is worth the risk for most people.

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently warned consumers about a severe case of muscle injury that has been associated with the drug Zocor. This severe case of muscle injury is called rhabdomyolysis, and is the most serious form of myopathy. On March 19, 2010, the FDA warned patients and health care providers that Zocor 80 mg has been linked to rhabdomyolysis as a serious side effect.

Zocor was FDA approved in December of 1991. Zocor is used to reduce the amount of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood. Simvastatin works to slow the production of cholesterol in the body. Zocor 80 mg is the highest approved dose of the simvastatin medication and therefore presents a higher risk of muscle injury than do lower doses of simvastatin and other statin drugs. The risk of developing myopathy becomes greater as the dose of the statin used is increased. If simvastatin is used in combination with other drugs, the risk of developing muscle injury may also increase.

Symptoms of myopathy include muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, and elevated levels of the muscle enzyme found in blood (creatine kinase). Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis, associated with the use of Zocor, include dark or red urine, fatigue, muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, and kidney failure, which can be fatal. The risk of developing rhabdomyolysis increases if an individual is aged 65 years or older, has low thyroid hormone levels, or has poor kidney function.

The manufacturers of Zocor, the FDA, and doctors would likely all suggest that patients need to be more responsible in assessing the risks and benefits that a particular drug carries, and deciding whether to take that drug accordingly. While it is true that consumers must take seriously the warnings and possible side effects associated with medications, drug manufacturers, the FDA, and doctors must also be responsible in protecting consumers from dangerous drugs on the market. In the case of Zocor, patients need to know the risk associated with consuming the highest approved dose of simvastatin. The manufacturers of Zocor, the FDA, and doctors should all take more responsibility in an effort to make patients more aware of the risks associated with the medication, and, in turn, better able to make an informed decision concerning whether to take the drug.