Ties Between Cholesterol Drugs, Muscle Problems Studied By MSU Researcher

[Guest guest]

Ties Between Cholesterol Drugs, Muscle Problems Studied By MSU

Researcher

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/129145.php

A Michigan State University researcher is studying whether the most

popular class of cholesterol-lowering drugs may cause muscle problems

in users.

There is accumulating evidence that the effect statins can have on

skeletal muscle - including muscle weakness, fatigue and

deterioration - is underestimated, said Jill Slade, assistant

professor of radiology and osteopathic manipulative medicine at MSU.

" Statins work by preventing cholesterol from forming, " said Slade,

whose study is funded by a two-year, $230,000 grant from the National

Institutes of Health. " While this is a good thing inside structures

such as liver cells, it can be problematic in places such as muscle

cells. "

About 50 percent of all Americans over the age of 50 are prescribed a

statin medication, including Lipitor, Crestor and Torvast, and their

use has tripled in the past seven years. Side effects affecting

skeletal muscles have been reported in up to 7 percent of users,

though Slade thinks that number could be higher.

In August 2001, the Food and Drug Administration pulled the statin

Baycol off the market after it appeared to be responsible for 31

deaths through a potentially fatal breakdown of muscle tissue known

as rhabdomyolysis. The FDA at the time said the muscle breakdown

occurred more frequently in patients taking Baycol than in patients

on other statins. The National Lipid Association in 2006 published

recommendations on investigating statin-induced muscle problems, and

Slade's research will directly address several of those.

As part of her study, Slade will use nuclear magnetic resonance

imaging at the MSU Department of Radiology Exercise and Nutrition Lab

to measure muscle integrity and function before and during statin

treatment. Fifty people - half taking high doses of statins and half

taking low doses - will be analyzed over a one- to six-month period.

" While statins have tremendously helped millions of Americans lower

their cholesterol and improve their cardiac health, we need to be

confident we are not causing other problems in the body, " Slade

said. " It is important to understand the side effects of using

statins and have the tools to identify people who may be more

susceptible to them. "

[Guest guest]

I find this article very interesting. My father passed away in March and when he

went he was in particularly bad shape. Very withered away. I always remembered

my father when I was younger as someone who fought to keep his freedom and stay

upright. It is interesting that it was soon after he was diagnosed with high

cholesterol and started Lipitor (a drug he swore by because it does reduce

cholestrol) he began to get thinner and thinner and weaker and weaker until, in

the end, he found it difficult to swallow among other extreme situations that I

have heard of here.

When my own doctor diagnosed me with high cholesterol, I remembered what I had

heard here and asked him to do a little research. He found that there was in

fact some truth to this and prescribed something called Wellbutin. This doesn't

work well at all so now I just try (key word " try " ) to maintain a better diet.

Defman

[Guest guest]

I thought my frozen shoulders were from CMT..my Dad had them also and had a very

hard time feeding himself he was is alot of pain... and so was I. I couldn't

even comb my hair. I now have normal use of my shoulders after getting off of

the Cholesterol drugs.

I cry now for my deceased dad...I wish I would have known more what these drugs

do to us with CMT.My dad got very thin and helpless.I'm so very sad that I

wasn't in good sharp to care for him...I hate rest homes...!!! I feel so guilty!

That I couldn't bring him to my home.

B-careful.

Blessings,

Geri

[Guest guest]

That is interesting. Until about 4 years ago I was going about my

life as usual, with classic symptoms of CMT but none so problematic

that I got a definitive work up or diagnosis. Others in my family,

the same. Then for some reason things started to get worse (balance,

blew out my ankle, fatigue, numbness, left face parasthesias). I

have finally put it together, I think.

Shortly before things went down hill to the point I saw a neurologist and got

diagnosed with CMT, I started taking Mevacor for high cholesterol. I stopped

taking it on my own after a surgery and despite my doctor's urging, never got

back to it -- not realizing it could be the reason for my decline. I'm glad I'm

such a procrastinator!

I always wondered why my dad (who has some really gnarly CMT feet) has been able

to single handedly run a cattle ranch with the help of several dogs and a

four-wheeler at the age of 68 with clear CMT and seems energetic and has no

signs of slowing, while I struggle to climb a flight of stairs.

I'm older than he is! He never took any cholesterol drug and avoids

meds of all kinds unless he has no choice. Now it makes a little

more sense.

Thanks for sharing the article, Gretchen.

Holli