Consumer Alert:

Statin Drugs Zocor and Vytorin Linked to Muscle Injury, Kidney Damage

By Welch, Gold & Siegel – Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc., Pennsylvania

Zocor, a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, has also been linked to potential increase in major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, revascularization and cardiovascular death, in patients taking 80 mg. compared to 20 mg. doses.

In a clinical trial database where 41,050 patients were treated with Zocor with 24,747 people treated for at least four years, the incidence of myopathy was approximately 0.02%, 0.08% and 0.53% at 20, 40 and 80 mg. per day, respectively. That is cause for alarm for the 80 mg. Zocor dose.

Myopathy is a muscular disorder that interferes with the proper function of muscle fibers. Depending on the severity, a person suffering myopathy may find the muscles are so weak that performing routine tasks is extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Vytorin, another cholesterol lowering drug also shows signs of Vytorin injury. The results of a small study published last year suggested that Vytorin might boost the chances of developing cancer. In that earlier study, called SEAS, researchers found that among patients taking Vytorin, 101 patients developed cancer compared with 65 in the control group. Among these patients, 39 taking Vytorin died, compared with 23 in the control group.

People taking Vytorin 10/80 with 10 mg. of Zetia and 80 mg. of simvastatin should be aware of the FDA alert regarding the dangers of myopathy, and rhabdomyolysis, an extreme muscle weakness.

Did you know that an estimated 24 million Americans take cholesterol-lowering drugs?

That is big business for pharmaceutical companies.

If you or a family member has suffered serious muscle damage or kidney damage from taking the 80 mg dose of Zocor or Vytorin, please take action now and contact the Pa. Prepaid Legal Lawyers to help you to determine if you’re entitled to a unsafe cholesterol lowering drug lawsuit or not. Nothing ventured; nothing gained.