[Myopathies under therapy with lipid-lowering agents]

Nervenarzt. 2005 Feb;76(2):212-7. doi: 10.1007/s00115-004-1837-x.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Myopathies ranging from myalgia to clinically asymptomatic creatine kinase (CK) elevation and to life-threatening rhabdomyolysis belong to the most important complications of lipid-lowering therapies with fibrates and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, i.e., statins. Rhabdomyolysis is a rare side effect of statin therapy with an estimated incidence of 0.2/1 million prescriptions. Myalgia and muscle cramps were reported by up to 5% of patients, but they were observed with the same percentage in controls receiving placebo. Due to increasing numbers of patients under lipid-lowering therapy, however, more and more patients present in neuromuscular units with the differential diagnosis of a fibrate- or statin-induced myopathy.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anticholesteremic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Clofibric Acid / administration & dosage
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / administration & dosage*
  • Muscular Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Muscular Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'
  • Prognosis
  • Rhabdomyolysis / chemically induced*
  • Rhabdomyolysis / prevention & control*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anticholesteremic Agents
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Clofibric Acid