Ranolazine-induced myopathy in a patient on chronic statin therapy

Abstract

We present a case demonstrating clinical, electrophysiological, serological, and radiological evidence of a myopathy induced by ranolazine, in a patient otherwise asymptomatic on chronic statin therapy. The patient developed proximal weakness, serum creatine kinase levels of 1875 U/L, electromyography with muscle membrane instability and small short-duration motor unit potentials, and magnetic resonance imaging evidence of muscle edema. The manifestations began within one week of initiation of ranolazine and improved within days after discontinuation. Ranolazine is a weak inhibitor of CYP3A4 known to increase the serum level of simvastatin and its active metabolite 2-fold. We postulate that the addition of ranolazine to a medical regimen that included atorvastatin induced a myoncecrotic myopathy.