Statin Induced Myopathy: A Clinical Review

Statins are one of the most frequently used drug groups among patients with cardiovascular disease. Muscle pain isvery frequent among patients using statins1. Muscle weakness and elevated creatine kinase (CK) are frequent side effects of statins with an incidence of about 15%2. It is important to distinguish patients with benign muscle pain without significant biochemical correlates from patients with serious myopathies. Statin-associated myopathy is more common in people who receive multiple drugs, the elderly or women but the mechanism underlying it is still unclear. These symptoms generally improve after drug discontinuation. In this review we have discussed the four types of muscle disorders associated with the use of statins along with their features and management based on creatine kinase concentration.