Rhabdomyolysis Lawsuit

A number of different prescription medications have been linked to an increased risk of the serious and potentially fatal muscle condition known as rhabdomyolysis. As a result of a particularly high risk associated with 80 mg doses of simvastatin that may be used in the cholesterol drugs Zocor, Vytorin and Simcor, users may be entitled to compensation through a rhabdomyolysis lawsuit.

STATUS OF ZOCOR RHABDOMYOLYSIS LAWSUITS: Product liability lawyers are reviewing potential Zocor lawsuits for individuals diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis or other serious muscle problems after taking the cholesterol medication.

>>REVIEW A CASE WITH A RHABDOMYOLYSIS LAWYER<<

OVERVIEW: Rhabdomyolysis is a rare muscle condition in which the skeletal muscle is damaged and releases myoglobin into the bloodstream. When it is filtered out by the kidneys, it could cause severe kidney failure or death.

Symptoms of Rhabdomyolysis side effects could include:

• Muscle Cramps, Tenderness, Stiffness, Pain and Spasms
• Kidney Damage or Kidney Failure
• Red or Dark-Colored Urine

ZOCOR RHABDOMYOLYSIS SIDE EFFECTS : In June 2011, the FDA issued a warning to doctors about potential side effects of Zocor when used at high doses (80 mg), saying that the cholesterol drug may increase the risk rhabdomyolysis and other muscle damage. The warning came after more than a year of FDA experts reviewing clinical trials on Zocor and other drugs containing simvastatin, which had been available to the manufacturers for some time.

The FDA has indicated that doctors should no longer prescribe 80mg Zocor doses unless a patient has already been taking it for a year. The FDA also released a list of drugs that should not be taken with Zocor or other simvastatins at various strengths due to rhabdomyolysis risks.

All statin cholesterol drugs carry warnings about the risk of rhabdomyolysis, but it appears that the manufacturers of Zocor and other medications that include simvastatin, such as Vytorin and Simcor, may have failed to adequately inform consumers about the true extent of the risk associated with taking the medications at high doses.