An estimated 24 million Americans take cholesterol-lowering drugs. Do you? An estimated 12 million women are prescribed statin drugs each year.  Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins make mega billions of dollars for the already deep-pocketed pharmaceutical makers.

In a clinical trial database in which 41,050 patients were treated with Zocor for at least four years, the incidence of muscle weakness (also known as myopathy) was approximately 0.02%, 0.08% and 0.53% at 20, 40 and 80 mg/day, respectively.

As you can see from this study, the higher the dose of Zocor statin, the higher the incidence of muscle weakness.

In a clinical trial called SEARCH, 6,031 patients taking 80 mg of simvastatin (the generic for Zocor) had more incidences of rhabdomyolysis (very serious myopathy which affects the kidneys) than the 6,033 patients taking 20 mg of simvastatin. To be more precise, the group of patients who took 20 mg of simvastatin had no incidences of rhabdomyolysis.

The SEARCH trial evaluated patients over a period of 6.7 years. You have to wonder, how many thousands of people were subject to rhabdomyolysis who weren’t in the trial and were taking the 80 mg of simvastatin or Zocor simply because their doctor prescribed it?

Rhabdomyolysis is a very serious form of muscle weakness which negatively affects the kidneys. Muscle damage leads to the release of damaged muscle cells into the bloodstream. Damaged muscle cells can damage the kidneys which filters blood from the body. Kidney damage from rhabdomyolysis can be so severe that patients may develop  a need for kidney dialysis or kidney transplant.

Were you or a loved one prescribed the higher dose of Zocor or simvastatin drug (80 mg)? Have you been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis? Have you suffered kidney damage or the need for kidney dialysis? If the answer is yes, take action now and contact Anapol Schwartz, New Jersey drug lawyers, who have a history of fighting for patients who have been harmed by pharmaceutical drugs.