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Medical Forum / General / Cardiology / March 2005Simvastatin And Liver Enzyme Leakage
My cardio. died and his colleague, who took over my case, doubled my Simvastatin dose from 10 to 20 mg per night. I recently had a routine blood test which came back as abnormal and it was repeated. I was called into the surgery and told that I had a leakage of enzymes from my liver and I should immediately stop taking Simvastatin and then have another blood test in 4 weeks to see if the problem was solved. Has anyone else had this experience? I should have asked more questions, but I was more concerned with my constant breathlessness, which the cardios. have been trying to solve for the last 6 months! > My cardio. died and his colleague, who took over my case, doubled my > Simvastatin dose from 10 to 20 mg per night. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > questions, but I was more concerned with my constant breathlessness, > which the cardios. have been trying to solve for the last 6 months! Elevated liver enzymes is a well-known side effect of statins although there are other reasons why one could have abnormal LFT's, aside from statins. I think your doctors directive is the course to follow. Stop the statin and get re-tested. If your LFT is still abnormal you may want to see a gastroenterologist. Re: your breathlessness - have you had a pulmonary function test? L. >> My cardio. died and his colleague, who took over my case, doubled my >> Simvastatin dose from 10 to 20 mg per night. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > L. Yes, at least I visited a physician who did a peak flow test and a lung function test in his office. FEV1/FVC was 1.54/1.79 with a peak flow of 330 litres per minute.....that is what his letter said! Flow volume curve showed some reduction of flow rates at mid and lower lung volumes indicating some airway obstruction. He put me on Symbicort twice a day...but I still get very breathless. I do breathing exercises regularly and have decided to see another good cardiologist when I can get an appointment. I have an artificial mitral valve and a couple of stents to help my CHD. I do not need lung disease as well!! I admit I am impatient..I have no time to be ill. I love going to the gym for aquaerobics and we like to travel. There is the matter that my husband has to have a second CABG in April as the 4 way bypass carried out in 1989 now needs attention. I do need to be OK to look after him when he gets out of the hospital. Sorry to vent my anxieties, but at least it makes me feel better!! >>> My cardio. died and his colleague, who took over my case, doubled my >>> Simvastatin dose from 10 to 20 mg per night. [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > > Sorry to vent my anxieties, but at least it makes me feel better!! No need to be sorry. Anxiety is our worst enemy. Vent all you want. Your "informal" PFT seems ok although I can't really comment on the results not knowing your age, height, history, other meds, etc.. (I'm also *not* a doctor!). You might want to follow up with a good pulmonologist to rule out COPD and give you some peace of mind. Obviously, you have some other health issues going on but I think you're going in the right direction. I'm sure you'll be able to look after your husband when he gets home. L. > My cardio. died and his colleague, who took over my case, doubled my > Simvastatin dose from 10 to 20 mg per night. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I was more concerned with my constant breathlessness, which the cardios. > have been trying to solve for the last 6 months! Salut Ann Yes, unfortunately it is possible to have such adverse events from simvastatin (and other statins). I am posting links for the websites of the two major researchers in statin side effects. Both Drs. Golomb and Phillips would like to hear from you, or anyone, with questions about your statin use. Many people from the United Kingdom, and in fact all over the world, have contacted them about the adverse effects of statin therapy. They may have some suggestions for your recovery, and are willing to contact your physicians if you wish. Dr. Phillips has recently published a study in the Journal Atherosclerosis on statins and cardiopulmonary function. Here is the abstract citation, and other information for you to print out and take to your physicians. Phillips PS, Phillips CT, Sullivan MJ, Naviaux RK, Haas RH. Abstract Statin myotoxicity is associated with changes in the cardiopulmonary function. Atherosclerosis. 2004 Nov;177(1):183-8. PMID: 15488882 [PubMed - in process] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra ct&list_uids=15488882 Dr. Beatrice Golomb Principal Investigator UCSD Statin Study http://medicine.ucsd.edu/SES/index.htm e-mail: statinstudy@ucsd.edu Dr. Paul Phillips Head, Interventional Cardiology Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, CA http://www.impostertrial.com (Is Myopathy Part of Statin Therapy?) e-mail: inquire@impostertrial.com Statins and Women: Do cholesterol lowering drugs benefit women? http://www.medicalconsumers.org/pages/WomenandCholesterol-LoweringDrugs.html http://www.medicalconsumers.org/pages/newsletter.html We've been bamboozled (about cholesterol drugs) >From Newsday, July 2004: http://healthyskepticism.org/publications/nonmedline/2004/0706.htm "The risk for total mortality was not lower in women treated with lipid-lowering drugs, regardless of whether they had prior cardiovascular disease or not," Dr. Judith M.E. Walsh and Dr. Michael Pignone wrote. Do statins have a role in primary prevention? http://www.ti.ubc.ca/pages/letter48.htm "What is the evidence of benefit for primary prevention in women? There were 10,990 women in the primary prevention trials (28% of the total). Only coronary events were reported for women, but when these were pooled they were not reduced by statin therapy, RR 0.98 [0.85-1.12]. Thus the coronary benefit in primary prevention trials appears to be limited to men,..." Zee >> My cardio. died and his colleague, who took over my case, doubled my >> Simvastatin dose from 10 to 20 mg per night. [quoted text clipped - 76 lines] > > Zee Zee's list is excellent (and not overwhelming) as a start. When you feel up to viewing a longer list of statin adverse effects, there is a PDF file posted at http://www.freewebs.com/stopped_our_statins/StatinFAQ_031305wTOCv4.pdf (many of the citations provided by Zee) It contains 86 pages of citations, almost exclusively published medical journal articles, on the adverse effects of statins. (you may need to create a free Yahoo account to view it) Table of Contents, should there be other categories of concern that you may not have realized could be caused by statin adverse effects: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Statin Adverse Effects Table of Contents Frequently Asked Questions about Statin Adverse Effects ................................................ 3 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 3 What are the names of the Statin drugs?......................................................................... 4 What is the "Statin Study"? ............................................................................................ 4 Where can I look to find information on research studies of statin drugs? .................... 5 Why does my physician have such a difficult time believing that my physical problems might be an adverse effect of Lipitor or one of the other statins? .................................. 5 OK, I understand the doctor's need to read clinical study results, but where can I find out what other people are experiencing in plain language, and maybe share my experiences?................................................................................................................... 7 Are there any books on the topic?................................................................................... 7 What are the Liptior warnings and side-effects listed by the manufacturer on the physicians' information?................................................................................................. 8 What are the Lipitor Adverse Events in Placebo-Controlled Studies listed by Pfizer in the Physician's information? .................................................................................. 8 What are the Lipitor Averse Events reported in patients treated with Lipitor in clinical trials listed by Pfizer in the Physician's information? ................................... 8 What are the Lipitor Adverse events associated with Lipitor therapy reported since market introduction, that are not listed above, listed by Pfizer in the Physician's information?................................................................................................................ 9 REPORTING ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM STATINS ................................................... 9 Where should I report adverse effects from statins?....................................................... 9 Report to the FDA....................................................................................................... 9 Report to the Statin Study ........................................................................................... 9 OK, what should I take to my doctor? .......................................................................... 10 NERVE DAMAGE & STATINS..................................................................................... 10 Frequently Asked Question: What medical research studies have been done on Statins and Nerve Damage that I can bring to my doctor's attention? ..................................... 10 MEMORY LOSS & STATINS ........................................................................................ 15 Frequently Asked Question: What medical research studies have been done on Statins and Memory Loss, or other mental problems that I can bring to my doctor's attention? ...................................................................................................................................... 15 AMNESIA & STATINS................................................................................................... 20 Frequently Asked Question: Amnesia is one of the Lipitor side effects reported by Pfizer on the Physician's Information, where can I find out more about people who have had amnesia episodes while taking the drug? ...................................................... 20 Lipitor, Thief of Memory, by Duane Graveline M.D. ............................................... 20 Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin............................................................ 20 CHEST PAIN & STATINS.............................................................................................. 21 Frequently Asked Question: Chest pain, that my cardiologist cannot explain via angiogram, stress test, EEG or EKG, is one of the side-effects I see is reported by many people. Is there any information on chest pain associated with statins?............. 21 STATINS & MITOCHONDRIAL CYTOPATHY,......................................................... 23 COENZYME Q10 (UBIQUINONE) DEFICIENCY CAUSED BY STATINS.............. 23 Do statins cause a CoQ10 deficiency?.......................................................................... 23 Merck Patent application stating that statins interfere with CoQ10 and that deficiency causes problems....................................................................................... 24 Introduction to the Citizen's petition to the FDA...................................................... 24 CARNITINE DEFICIENCY CAUSED BY STATINS ................................................... 29 Can statins cause carnitine deficiency?......................................................................... 29 JOINT PAIN AND STATINS.......................................................................................... 29 Frequently Asked Question: Can statins have something to do with my joint pain? ... 29 QUITTING STATINS...................................................................................................... 30 Frequently Asked Question: Can it be dangerous to just stop taking statins? .............. 30 STATIN BIRTH DEFECTS............................................................................................. 30 Frequently Asked Question: Is statin intake during pregnancy dangerous for unborn children?....................................................................................................................... 30 VIOLENCE AND LOW CHOLESTEROL ..................................................................... 30 Frequently Asked Questions: Can it be the statins making me so irritable and prone to angry outbursts? ............................................................................................................ 30 IMMUNE SYSTEM AND STATINS.............................................................................. 31 Frequently Asked Question: Can statins depress my immune system?........................ 31 Could a depressed immune system lead to infection? .................................................. 32 STATINS AND CANCER ............................................................................................... 33 Frequently Asked Question: What are the cancer rates for people on statins?............. 33 Women and statins.................................................................................................... 34 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED) AND STATINS ...................................................... 36 Frequently Asked Question: Can statins interfere with my sex life?............................ 36 LUPUS-LIKE SYMPTOMS AND STATINS ................................................................. 38 Frequently Asked Question: Can statins cause Lupus symptoms?............................... 38 MYOPATHY AND STATINS......................................................................................... 40 Frequently Asked Question: Do statins cause muscle damage, muscle pain, myopathy, myositis, and muscle cell death (apoptosis) with or without elevated CK? ................. 40 RHABDOMYOLYSIS AND STATINS .......................................................................... 64 Frequently Asked Question: Which statins cause deadly Rhabdomyolysis? ............... 64 STATINS AND LIVER OR KIDNEY DAMAGE.......................................................... 78 Frequently Asked Question: Do statins damage liver or kidneys? ............................... 78 ELDERLY AND STATINS ............................................................................................. 80 Frequently Asked Question: Should people over 70 take statins?................................ 80 IS THERE AN INDUSTRY BIAS IN STATIN PUBLICATIONS?............................... 82 Why are most studies so positive about statins, and why are there relatively so few published that show problems? Do Medical Journals agree that there is bias in drug industry funded medical studies?.................................................................................. 82 > >> My cardio. died and his colleague, who took over my case, doubled my > >> Simvastatin dose from 10 to 20 mg per night. [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > Atherosclerosis. 2004 Nov;177(1):183-8. > > PMID: 15488882 [PubMed - in process] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra ct&list_uids=15488882 > > Dr. Beatrice Golomb > > Principal Investigator [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > > > Do cholesterol lowering drugs benefit women? http://www.medicalconsumers.org/pages/WomenandCholesterol-LoweringDrugs.html > > http://www.medicalconsumers.org/pages/newsletter.html > > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > When you feel up to viewing a longer list of statin adverse effects, there > is a PDF file posted at http://www.freewebs.com/stopped_our_statins/StatinFAQ_031305wTOCv4.pdf > (many of the citations provided by Zee) CONGRATULATIONS Sharon At last! A comprehensive stand-alone document linked to the web. WHOOPEEEEEE! And yes, it downloads just fine. I just barely scanned. Did you include Baker? Zee > It contains 86 pages of citations, almost exclusively published medical > journal articles, on the adverse effects of statins. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Frequently Asked Questions about Statin Adverse Effects > ................................................ 3 Introduction........................................................................................................................ > 3 > > What are the names of the Statin drugs?......................................................................... > 4 > > What is the "Statin Study"? ............................................................................................ > 4 > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > out what other people are experiencing in plain language, and maybe share my experiences?................................................................................................................... > 7 > > Are there any books on the topic?................................................................................... > 7 > > What are the Liptior warnings and side-effects listed by the manufacturer on > the > > physicians' information?................................................................................................. > 8 > > What are the Lipitor Adverse Events in Placebo-Controlled Studies listed by > Pfizer > > in the Physician's information? .................................................................................. > 8 > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > market introduction, that are not listed above, listed by Pfizer in the > Physician's information?................................................................................................................ > 9 > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Report to the FDA....................................................................................................... > 9 > > Report to the Statin Study ........................................................................................... > 9 > > OK, what should I take to my doctor? .......................................................................... > 10 > > NERVE DAMAGE & STATINS..................................................................................... > 10 > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > MEMORY LOSS & STATINS ........................................................................................ > 15 > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > and Memory Loss, or other mental problems that I can bring to my doctor's > attention? ...................................................................................................................................... > 15 > > AMNESIA & STATINS................................................................................................... > 20 > > Frequently Asked Question: Amnesia is one of the Lipitor side effects > reported by > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > CHEST PAIN & STATINS.............................................................................................. > 21 > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Do statins cause a CoQ10 deficiency?.......................................................................... > 23 > > Merck Patent application stating that statins interfere with CoQ10 and that > > deficiency causes problems....................................................................................... > 24 > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Can statins cause carnitine deficiency?......................................................................... > 29 > > JOINT PAIN AND STATINS.......................................................................................... > 29 > > Frequently Asked Question: Can statins have something to do with my joint > pain? ... 29 > > QUITTING STATINS...................................................................................................... > 30 > > Frequently Asked Question: Can it be dangerous to just stop taking statins? > .............. 30 > > STATIN BIRTH DEFECTS............................................................................................. > 30 > > Frequently Asked Question: Is statin intake during pregnancy dangerous for > unborn children?....................................................................................................................... > 30 > > VIOLENCE AND LOW CHOLESTEROL > ..................................................................... 30 > Frequently Asked Questions: Can it be the statins making me so irritable and > prone to > > angry outbursts? ............................................................................................................ > 30 > > IMMUNE SYSTEM AND STATINS.............................................................................. > 31 > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > STATINS AND CANCER ............................................................................................... > 33 > > Frequently Asked Question: What are the cancer rates for people on > statins?............. 33 > > Women and statins.................................................................................................... > 34 > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > MYOPATHY AND STATINS......................................................................................... > 40 > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > RHABDOMYOLYSIS AND STATINS .......................................................................... > 64 > > Frequently Asked Question: Which statins cause deadly Rhabdomyolysis? > ............... 64 > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > ELDERLY AND STATINS ............................................................................................. > 80 > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > funded medical studies?.................................................................................. > 82 snip > http://www.freewebs.com/stopped_our_statins/StatinFAQ_031305wTOCv4.pdf >> (many of the citations provided by Zee) [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > WHOOPEEEEEE! Yeah! > And yes, it downloads just fine. I just barely scanned. Did you include > Baker? > > Zee Are these the Baker you meant? Baker SK, Tarnopolsky MA. Statin myopathies: pathophysiologic and clinical perspectives. Clin Invest Med. 2001;24:258-72. [PMID: 11603510] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbinpost/ Entrez/query?db=m&form=6&Dopt=r&uid=11603510 13: Baker SK, Goodwin S, Sur M, Tarnopolsky MA. Cytoskeletal myotoxicity from simvastatin and colchicine. Muscle Nerve. 2004 Dec;30(6):799-802. PMID: 15389652 [PubMed - in process] >> It contains 86 pages of citations, almost exclusively published > medical [quoted text clipped - 369 lines] > >> 82 |
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