If you are on statins to reduce cholesterol, then you can have muscle pain and weakness

Such symptoms of pain in muscles are quite common in people taking statins. The symptoms are mild and they get better on discontinuation of statin or lowering the dose

Hyderabad: If you are on statins, the commonly used medications, which lower cholesterol and other fats in the blood by individuals with diabetes, heart ailments and those between 45 years and 60 years, then chances are high that you may suffer muscle pain and weakness.

Such symptoms of pain in muscles are quite common in people taking statins. The symptoms are mild and they get better on discontinuation of statin or lowering the dose. Calves and thigh muscles are more commonly affected, however, upper extremity muscles may be uncommonly affected, noted neurologist from Hyderabad, Dr Sudhir Kumar on Friday said.

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Taking to social media platform X, Dr Sudhir Kumar shared a brief medical history of a 40-year-old patient (arrived in Hyderabad from the United States) who complained of pain in both forearm muscles for the past three months. The patient also had mild weakness in the affected muscles.

“He was diagnosed to have diabetes and elevated cholesterol, for which he had been started on medications by his doctors in the US. He consulted his physician for forearm pain, and was prescribed tylenol (paracetamol), which did not help much,” Dr Sudhir Kumar said.

During his recent visit to India, the patient met Dr Sudhir Kumar who conducted a series of diagnostic tests that revealed tenderness of the affected muscles along with mild weakness.

“I suspected an adverse effect of one of the medications (atorvastatin), and asked for a blood test.

Serum CPK was high- 276 (Normal range <171). My diagnosis was that possible focal myositis related to atorvastatin use,” Dr Sudhi said.

Later, Dr Sudhir Kumar asked his patient to stop the statin (atorvastatin) and consult his physician in the US. “Statin use can commonly cause myalgia (muscle pain) in about 20 percent of users. Mild CPKemia i.e. elevation of Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels may occur, the doctor said. The CPK levels indicate muscle and heart injury or stress.

“Calves and thigh muscles are commonly affected, however, individual muscle groups (such as hips) or forearm muscles (as in our patient) may occur in a smaller number of cases. Most people improve with discontinuation of medication or lowering the dose of statin. Alternative lipid-lowering medication may be suggested by the treating doctor,” Dr Sudhir on X said.