Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended caution in prescribing the statin simvastatin. The evidence suggests that at doses of 80mg, this drug significantly heightens the risk of muscle damage and breakdown known as rhabdomyolosis. The breakdown products of muscle can actually go on to cause kidney failure. In other words, rhabdomyolysis can kill.

This warning reminded me of an event that took place a decade ago, when the drug company Bayer had to withdraw its statin cerivostatin (Baycol, Lipobay) from the market because of its propensity to cause rhambomyolosis. I remember a pharmacist in South Africa telling me some years ago that as a result of this withdrawal, and the loss of a patent on a major money-maker at about the same time, Bayer almost went bust. Who would have thought that a large drug company could be so vulnerable? It’s good, I think, that there’s growing recognition of the potential problems associated with statins. However, I reckon one thing that would help ensure that people are not harmed unnecessarily is for doctors to listen to their patients.

Read the full article here: http://www.thecholesteroltruth.com/statin-side-effects-why-doctors-need-to-start