Zocor Dose Matters in Patients With Side Effects

Cholesterol-lowering drugs like Zocor have been beneficial to many patients since they hit markets, lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke associated with high cholesterol levels in their bloodstream and other complications that can manifest if a patient’s cholesterol is too high. However, there may be serious Zocor side effects that can make taking the drug more risky than beneficial.

The Food and Drug Administration released a warning in early June warning against use of the highest dose (80 mg) of Zocor, as this dose has been the one most obviously associated with serious side effects including muscle damage, myopathy, and rhabdomyolysis. Muscle weakness and muscle pain have also been linked to Zocor use and can have a serious impact on a patient’s health and wellbeing.

Patients who file a Zocor lawsuit, as many have been doing, may be more successful at gaining some kind of settlement if they were taking the 80mg dose of Zocor as opposed to lower doses such as the 20mg dose. This is not to say that patients on lower doses who experienced Zocor side effects will not be eligible to file a lawsuit, but their cases may be more difficult to argue and prove, and Zocor lawyers will be more likely to be able to help plaintiffs who were taking the recently-banned high doses of Zocor because of the recent FDA warning against the prescription of this dose.

Early clinical evidence also pointed to the possibility of muscle injury at high doses of Zocor, but it took a while before the Food and Drug Administration could create a conclusive report on the connection. Severe muscle injury was noted with Zocor in 2008 when the medication was combined with Amiodarone, also known as Cordarone, which is an anti-arrhythmic medication used for the treatment of some heart conditions. In addition, muscle injury and damage is found at higher rates in people who take Zocor along with medication or supplements that contain niacin.

Zocor lawyers have their work cut out for them as more and more people continue to file Zocor lawsuits. Patients who have experienced Zocor side effects may want to talk to a personal injury lawyer in order to examine their options.