Fda Issues Advisory About Muscle Injury Caused By Simvastatin Zocor
EducationFda Issues Advisory About Muscle Injury Caused By Simvastatin Zocor
The marriage of medicine, diet and exercise would seem to be the perfect three-way, creating a happy-ever-after for those living in constant fear of other heart problems associated with high choleterol. But if you take Zocor to lower your cholesterol, you may need to cut back on some of your favorite exercises due to risk of muscle injury.
An advisory was issued by the FDA on March 19, 2010 about risks of muscle injury associated with the use of the cholesterol-lowering drug Simvastatin (Zocor), especially if concurrently used with ritonovir (Novir). The concern is mostly over the smooth muscle tissue found in organs like the kidneys. Zocor may lead to kidney failure and death, but patients on this particular cholesterol medication should also consider the inherent risks associated with exercising while using this drug.
Exercise has been proven to lower blood pressure, but those taking Zocor are more susceptible to muscle injury, or myopathy. This creates a conundrum because, under normal circumstances, exercise serves two purposes for muscles: It prevents atrophy from muscle disuse, and it also causes hypertrophy which builds the muscles, making them bigger and stronger.
The main principle behind weight lifting is fatigue muscle tissue to the point of creating small micro-tears. This, in turn, should stimulate a protein re-building process that results in bigger, stronger muscles. Zocor may cause the opposite to happen.
For example, a patient who has lifted weights her entire life may have to sacrifice some of her heavier sets once she is prescribed Zocor, or she will risk permanent damage from that normal break-down-build-up process. Because of Zocor her muscles might break down and not rebuild.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), who is considered to be the governing body in fitness circles, sets the gold standards for exercise. The American Heart Association, along with ACSM, has set out basic recommendations as exercise guidelines for healthy adults under age 65.
Healthy adults, ages 65 and younger, should do vigorously intense cardiovascular training for 20 minutes, three times per week. If vigorous exercise isn't possible, healthy adults should do moderately intense cardio for a minimum of 30 minutes, five times per week. Because of the risk of myopathy, patients on the cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor should consider the second option of 30 minutes, and they should possible modify it further depending on their exercise history.
The ACSM guidelines for strength training are eight to twelve repetitions of eight to ten exercises, twice per week. Again, a healthy adult should seek muscle failure or at least utter fatigue by the end of those weight lifting sets. However, once more, a patient on the cholesterol medication Zocor should try to avoid adverse side-effects by scaling back their intensity to prevent unnecessary myopathy.
If you are considering taking Zocor (Simvastatin), and you are a very active individual, be sure to discuss the side effects of exercising and muscle injury while taking this cholesterol-lowering drug with your doctor. If you are already taking Zocor, and you have noticed adverse side effects already, contact MedWatch by telephone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, online at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch, or by mail to 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20852-9787.
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