Defective Drugs:
Life-threatening Muscle Condition Rhabdomyolysis Linked to Zocor, Vytorin 10/80
Zocor
The FDA has announced that the highest available dose of the cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor can put users at risk for rhabdomyolysis, a life-threatening form of muscle damage. The FDA reports that patients taking 80mg doses of Zocor have a risk of developing rhabdomyolysis that is 50 times greater than those taking the 20mg dose. The FDA has also warned that patients taking Vytorin 10/80, a combination drug containing Zocor, are also at risk for this Zocor side effect.
If you or a loved one has developed rhabdomyolysis, a severe form of muscle damage, while taking Zocor, the generic Simvastatin or Vytorin 10/80, fill out our free case review form to have your claim evaluated by a Zocor attorney.
Although Zocor has been known to cause muscle injury, the new FDA Zocor warning highlights the risk of rhabdomyolysis, a severe form of muscle damage. Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid destruction of skeletal muscle which results in the release of muscle fiber contents into the bloodstream. Rhabdomyolysis can lead to kidney damage, kidney failure and death.
Common symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include:
- Muscle aches and pain
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle stiffness
- Muscle tenderness
- Darkening of urine
Additional symptoms of rhabdomyolysis can include joint pain, fatigue, unintentional weight gain and seizures.
Manufactured by Merck, Zocor (generic: simvastatin) is a prescription medication that blocks the production of cholesterol in the body. If you or a loved one has developed rhabdomyolysis as a side effect of Zocor, Vytorin 10/80 or Simvastatin, you may be eligible to pursue a Zocor lawsuit. Our Zocor attorneys believe that the pharmaceutical companies had a duty to alert consumers to this potentially life-threatening side effect. To find out if you have a potential Zocor lawsuit, fill out our form for free case review.