When Filing a Zocor Lawsuit, Know the Details of Zocor Side Effects
Zocor is a cholesterol-lowering medication that has lately come under heavy inquiry for alleged correlation with some disturbing health complications including, but not limited to, two rare types of muscle injury (aka myopathy and rhabdomyolsis). The latter refers to the breakdown of muscle fibers that results in the fiber contents being released into the bloodstream, which in turn leads to kidney damage. Rhabdomyolysis symptoms include abnormal urine color (dark, red or cola colored), general weakness, muscle stiffness or aching (aka myalgia), muscle tenderness, weakness of the affected muscles, fatigue, joint pain, seizures, and unexpected weight-gain.
The other type of Zocor muscle injury, myopathy, is a condition presenting symptoms which include muscle cramping, stiffness, and spasms.
Known as simvastatin marketed under the brand Zocor, the drug is a synthetic statin developed by Merck & Co. Statins. It also falls under the class of drugs used to decrease lipid levels in the blood, thus lowering cholesterol. As per a United States Food and Drug Administration report, there was an estimated 2.1 million patients receiving prescriptions of certain type of drug containing simvastatin in 2010 alone. A recent study showed that some patients taking Zocor may be at an even higher risk, in spite of long recognized fact that statins possess muscle damage risks. Such study thus show that some patients may be in danger of such muscle injury in taking doses of Zocor above 20 milligrams.
In a March 2010 warning, the FDA discovered that high doses of Zocor (80mg) were likely to have increased risk of muscle injury compared to reports by Merck & Co. that about 12 percent of patients take the medication at this highest, most threatening dosage. Furthermore, the risk of injury may also be increased in those of Chinese racial background, not to mention individuals under other medication for blood pressure. The FDA cautions that patients should avoid any size dose of Zocor (simvastatin) in conjunction with Itraconazole, Ketoconazole, Erythromycin, Clarithromycin, Telithromycin, HIV protease inhibitors and/or Nefazodone.
It is also warned that patients should also avoid more than 10mg of Zocor, or simvastatin, while using Gemfibrozil, Cyclosporine and Danazol.
Patients are also warned to avoid more than 20mg of Zocor together with amiodarone or verapamil. Individuals who are taking diltiazem are also advised to avoid more than 40mg of the cholesterol medication. That’s because it has been found by the FDA that these drugs increases the dangers of muscle injury when taken in conjunction with Zocor. A patient planning to end or changing the dose of this medication, however, is advised to consult with their doctor before doing so.
Zocor is also used in combination with Zetia, another cholesterol medication. The latter is released in the market under the brand Vytorin. Nonetheless, this drug was also at the center of a massive fraud lawsuit based on the drug’s claims of effectiveness. It was proven in a 2009 report that Vytorin’s effectiveness claims were false.
Be well-informed and get the latest facts on Zocor lawsuit and its side effects.
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