Zocor Simvastatin | Lawsuit | Side Effects: Myopathy, Rhabdomyolysis, Kidney Damage, Muscle Injury, Skeletal Muscle Tissue Breakdown, Tenderness, Weakness, Unexplained Fatigue
Gilman Law LLP, a leading national law firm with over 40 years of experience protecting the rights of victims, is now accepting claims for Zocor Simvastatin Lawsuits involving side effects of zocor, including myopathy and rhabdomyolysis, stemming from use of the statin Zocor. Zocor is a prescription statin drug used by people who need to lower their cholesterol. Patients prescribed zocor pill have an increased risk of developing rhabdomyolysis, a life-threatening form of muscle disease which can lead to severe kidney damage, kidney failure, myopathy and death.
If you or someone you know suffered from myopathy or rhabdomyolysis and/or kidney damage following the use of Zocor, Gilman Law is here to help.
Zocor Side Effects and Symptoms
- Myopathy: Muscle pain and tenderness.
- Rhabdomyolysis: A severe form of myopathy in which muscle cells break down and release a protein called myoglobin into the patient’s bloodstream.
- Kidney Damage: Rhabdomyolysis can cause damage to the kidneys as the kidneys try to filter the protein out of the bloodstream.
FDA Warning on Myopathy and Rhabdomyolysis
In April 2010, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced it was conducting a Zocor safety review after the 80 mg dose of the drug was linked to myopathy. In June of 2011, the FDA directed doctors not to prescribed 80 mg Zocor in their first 12 months of treatment. The FDA’s Zocor restriction was prompted by a seven-year study and patient reports showed those taking Zocor face a greater risk of muscle injury, including rhabdomyolysis, compared to patients treated with lower doses or other statins. Among patients in the study, 52 taking 80 mg Zocor developed myopathy, compared to only one in the 20-mg group. Twenty-two patients in the 80-mg group developed rhabdomyolysis, compared to none in the 20-mg group.
According to the FDA, Zocor 80 mg should not be prescribed to new patients. The higher dose should be used only in patients who have been taking this dose for 12 months or more without evidence of muscle injury. The FDA also said health care professionals should switch such patients to another statin if they find that taking 40 mg of simvastatin isn’t meeting their cholesterol goal, rather than raising the Zocor dose to 80 mg.
Symptoms of Zocor myopathy and rhabdomyolysis may include:
- muscle pain, tenderness or weakness
- dark or red colored urine
- unexplained fatigue
- an elevation of a muscle enzyme in the blood (creatine kinase, or CK)
What is Zocor?
Zocor, known generically as simvastatin, is a member of a class of drugs known as statins. Zocor is prescribed to people with high cholesterol who are unable to control it with diet and exercise. Zocor reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) and total cholesterol in the blood, which can help prevent heart disease and hardening of the arteries.
Legal Help for Victims of Zocor Side Effects
If you or someone you know suffered from myopathy or rhabdomyolysis following the use of Zocor, Gilman Law is here to help. For a free evaluation of you case, please fill out the online form on the left or call Toll Free at 1-888-252-0048.
