<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Background</bold>. Muscular complaints are known side-effects of statin therapy, ranging from myalgia to clinically important myositis and rhabdomyolysis. We investigated the statin use and association with the presence and characteristics of muscular complaints.<bold>Methods</bold>. We conducted a prospective observational study in internal medicine departments. Patients with statin therapy before hospitalization were interviewed for muscular complaints. When muscular complaints were reported, information on type and severity of muscular symptoms, location and time to onset was collected.<bold>Results</bold>. We identified 85 patients with statin treatment at hospital admission out of 521 included. Nine (10.59%) patients reported muscular complaints associated with statin therapy. A cluster of symptoms (cramps, stiffness, decreased muscle power) was reported, affecting both upper and lower limbs. The severity of pain was in most of the cases moderate or severe. All patients reported that pain was intermittent. Five reported that pain was generalized. Symptoms appeared in the first month of treatment or three months after the drug initiation. Creatine kinase was raised in one patient. In two cases drug interactions were probably responsible for muscular complaints.<bold>Conclusion</bold>. In the studied set of patients muscular symptoms were a rather frequent effect of statin therapy. As this side-effect could be troublesome for patients and could lead to more severe outcomes, their timely detection and management is important.</abstract>

Background. Muscular complaints are known side-effects of statin therapy, ranging from myalgia to clinically important myositis and rhabdomyolysis. We investigated the statin use and association with the presence and characteristics of muscular complaints.Methods. We conducted a prospective observational study in internal medicine departments. Patients with statin therapy before hospitalization were interviewed for muscular complaints. When muscular complaints were reported, information on type and severity of muscular symptoms, location and time to onset was collected.Results. We identified 85 patients with statin treatment at hospital admission out of 521 included. Nine (10.59%) patients reported muscular complaints associated with statin therapy. A cluster of symptoms (cramps, stiffness, decreased muscle power) was reported, affecting both upper and lower limbs. The severity of pain was in most of the cases moderate or severe. All patients reported that pain was intermittent. Five reported that pain was generalized. Symptoms appeared in the first month of treatment or three months after the drug initiation. Creatine kinase was raised in one patient. In two cases drug interactions were probably responsible for muscular complaints.Conclusion. In the studied set of patients muscular symptoms were a rather frequent effect of statin therapy. As this side-effect could be troublesome for patients and could lead to more severe outcomes, their timely detection and management is important.

An insight into statin use and its association with muscular side effects in clinical practice

Drug Information Research Center, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Pasteur 6, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, “Iuliu Haţieganu”, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Pasteur 6, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

2 Medical Department, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Clinicilor 3-5, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Romanian Journal of Internal Medicine

This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Public License.

Background. Muscular complaints are known side-effects of statin therapy, ranging from myalgia to clinically important myositis and rhabdomyolysis. We...

An insight into statin use and its association with muscular side effects in clinical practice

Publicado en línea: 14 oct 2015

Páginas: 153 - 160

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/rjim-2015-0021

Palabras clave
statins, myopathy, muscular side-effects

© 2015 Andreea Farcas et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Public License.

An insight into statin use and its association with muscular side effects in clinical practice

Publicado en línea: 14 oct 2015

Páginas: 153 - 160

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/rjim-2015-0021

Palabras clavestatins, myopathy, muscular side-effects

© 2015 Andreea Farcas et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Public License.

Palabras clave
statins, myopathy, muscular side-effects