Muscular Disease Linked to Zocor

Zocor is made of simvastatin and is also sold in generic form. Zocor is prescribed to treat patients with significantly increased risks of atherosclerotic vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia. The FDA reports that the 80-mg dose lowers the LDL cholesterol by an additional 6% over simvastatin 40 mg, and that an estimated 2.1 million patients in the U.S. were prescribed a product containing 80-mg simvastatin in year 2010. The changes were brought about by the SEARCH clinical trial, which found that myopathy in patients on simvastatin 80 mg/day was approximately 0.9% compared with 0.02% for patients on 20 mg/day. The incidence of Zocor rhabdomyolysis in patients on 80 mg/day was approximately 0.4% compared with 0% for patients on 20 mg/day.
Myopathy is a disease that causes muscular weakness. Rhabdomyolysis is a very specific type of myopathy, in which there is a rapid break down of skeletal muscle due to muscle tissue injury. The broken down material can be released into the bloodstream and may cause acute kidney failure. Signs and symptoms for myopathy include unexplained muscle fatigue, muscle pain, tenderness and an elevation of a muscle enzyme in the blood (creatine kinase). Rhabdomyolysis, one of the many Zocor side effects, is often characterized by fatigue and dark or red urine, in addition to the symptoms of myopathy. The illness is usually reported in patients over 65 years of age or those who have renal impairment or uncontrolled hypothyroidism.
Zocor is a statin and statins are among the best-selling drugs in the United States, with $14.5 billion in combined sales in 2008. They use the liver to block the body’s creation of cholesterol, which is a key contributor to coronary artery disease. Statins use the liver to block the body’s creation of cholesterol, which is a key contributor to coronary artery disease. Statin is used in a number of other popular cholesterol controlling drugs, including Crestor, Lipitor, Mevacor, Lescol and Pravachol. Patients are further urged to consult with their doctor if they believe they are affected by the prescribing changes, as well as an experiened Zocor lawyer to consider taking legal action in filing a Zocor lawsuit.