Judicious evaluation of adverse drug reactions: inaccurate assessment of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor-induced muscle injury.
Adverse reactions in two patients who received HMG CoA reductase inhibitor therapy were reinvestigated because of their rarity. A case of permanent forearm myalgia was thought to be caused by atorvastatin. Closer evaluation and work-up revealed underlying lateral epicondylitis, and atorvastatin was not considered the cause of the disability. In another patient, rhabdomyolysis was suspected to be secondary to simvastatin. However, after an extensive review, the reaction was believed to be compartment syndrome of the anterior tibial area. An adverse drug reaction report requires careful and judicious assessment to assign the correct probability for the event.
Children's Hospital, Bouvé College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
B L
BL
Dietz
K C
KC
Oberg
D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000209:etiology; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000009:adverse effects; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000139:chemically induced; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000009:adverse effects
D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019821:Simvastatin