Q. At age 71, my mother was taking medicine for diabetes, high cholesterol and a few other conditions. Her doctor changed her statin drug but didn’t modify the dose.
Within a few months she lost the ability to move from the neck down and was in the hospital going through test after test after test. I started looking into her meds and discovered the reason for her rhabdomyolysis: the effect of the more potent statin was eight times higher than it should have been. This was in part because it interacted with other medication she was on.
She was in the hospital for three months. After she got out, she survived at home for just six more months.
A. Rhabdomyolysis is a potentially fatal reaction in which the muscles break down and the kidneys fail. Older people may be particularly susceptible to such rare but dangerous side effects from statins. We are so sorry to learn that your mother suffered this deadly consequence.
Statin drugs vary in their potency. More powerful statins are generally prescribed at lower doses. Some statins interact with other medications and require dosage adjustment. Lower doses of simvastatin are needed, for example, when people are also taking blood pressure medicines such as amlodipine, diltiazem or verapamil or a heart drug such as amiodarone.
Although it is too late for your mother, others may wish to protect themselves by learning more about the pros and cons of cholesterol-lowering drugs through our Guide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health.
