High Dose Statin Limited in US Due to Muscle Damage

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended limiting high doses of a widely prescribed cholesterol lowering drug called simvastatin (commonly known as Zocor).

This decision comes after the FDA evaluated the results of a clinical trial that found a higher risk of muscle damage in patients taking high doses of the statin compared to patients taking lower doses.

On Wednesday the FDA warned that the highest approved dose of Zocor (80mg) can harm muscles and potentially cause deadly kidney damage.

Although over forty-six million Americans take statins, the new recommendation applies only to what the FDA estimates to be 2 million Americans who in 2010 were prescribed 80 milligram doses of simvastatin in one form or another.

The most common side effects of Zocor include muscle pain, tenderness and weakness. 

While somewhat rare, the drug can also cause more serious side effects like muscle damage that can lead to liver disease and kidney failure. 

Five out of every 100,000 people taking Zocor for a year experienced the “more serious” effects, according to the FDA.

Statins, including Zocor, have been shown to lower cholesterol in patients but many doctors say they’ve known long before this warning of its potential dangers. 

Also, according to many healthcare professionals, the FDA recommendation for a warning label is a necessary next step.

“It’s about time,” said Lynn Willis, professor of the department of pharmacology at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. 

“I’m of the view that the muscle pain induced by Zocor occurs with much greater frequency than we would think.”

Dr. Steven Nissen, chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at Cleveland Clinic referenced an editorial he wrote for the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004 citing potential dangers of the high dose medication.

“It takes the FDA a long time to make these decisions,” said Nissen. “Unfortunately it takes time to sort through the evidence.”

 

Emed’s Comment:

Are you currently taking simvastatin? Simvastatin ‘Zocor’ also has generic equivalents, and is present in the combination statin drugs Vytorin and Simcor.
Brand names of simvastatin also include: Simlup, Simvotin, Simcard (India), Denan (Germany), Liponorm, Sinvacor, Sivastin (Italy), Lipovas (Japan), Lodales (France), Zocord (Austria and Sweden), Zimstat, Simvahexal (Australia), Lipex (Australia and New Zealand), Simvastatin-Teva, Simvacor, Simvaxon, Simovil (Israel), and others.
If you are on any of these or another form of statin, you need to carefully monitor your health. These drugs can be very dangerous and cause many side effects.It is about time our regulatory boards clued on…

More than 20 million prescriptions are written in Australia each yearfor statin drugs. Statin drugs are a class of drugs that are reputed for lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood by reducing the production of cholesterol by the liver.
In effect, these drugs block the enzyme in the liver that is responsible for making cholesterol. Statin drugs have an unfortunately long list of known side-effects and dangers. People who take statins have suffered severe health consequences, including permanent damage to their liver, muscles and nervous system.
Other side-effects include:

  • Nausea
  • Irritability and short tempers
  • Hostility
  • Homicidal impulses
  • Rapid loss of mental clarity
  • Amnesia
  • Kidney failure
  • Diarrhoea
  • Muscle aching/weakness
  • Tingling or cramping in legs
  • Insomnia
  • Constipation
  • Impaired muscle formation
  • Nerve damage
  • Mental confusion
  • Liver damage and abnormalities
  • Neuropathy
  • Destruction of CoQ10 levels
It’s a huge price to pay for trying to lower your cholesterol – especially when altering diet, nutrition and physical exercise will automatically lower your cholesterol, without the dangerous side-effects other than improved health.
And don’t forget natural medicines! There are many products that can safely and naturally balance your cholesterol levels effectively.
Emed stocks a great range of top-quality fish oil supplements thatwill help to boost your health and reduce your cholesterol levels. Click here to visit Emed’s Best Fish Oils. Click here to view Emed’s Best Krill Oil.
The unique molecular composition of krill oil, with its abundance of phospholipids and omega-3 fatty acids, contributes to its therapeutic effects in helping maintain normal, healthy cholesterol levels.
It also functions as an antioxidant. Combining fish oil or krill oil with a specific cholesterol-fighting natural medicine, like MH Enhance CholestaHealth will help to reduce your cholesterol levels, reduce your need for statin drugs and leave you feeling better.

What Else Can I Do?
If you are taking a statin drug then you MUST take a CoQ10 supplement.
Statin drugs leach this important enzyme from our body, which can lead to serious consequences like heart disease or heart attacks, not to mention all the side effects mentioned earlier.
Click here to view Emed’s Best Co-Enzyme Q10 supplements.
You may also want to get your vitamin D levels checked. If levels are not optimal, consider supplementing with Emed’s Best Vitamin D products.


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