title: Atorvastatin induced multiple organ failure.
abstract: A 71-year-old African American woman presented with a past medical history significant for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. She was being treated with atorvastatin and verapamil in addition to a few other medications. She complained of nausea, vomiting, myalgia, generalized weakness and dark urine. Initial evaluation revealed clinical icterus and mild mental confusion. Admission laboratory results showed features of multiple organ dysfunction. Over the course of four to five days the patient deteriorated to multiple organ failure resulting in death. Extensive work up for the etiology for multiple organ failure was noncontributory. We presume the cause for multiple organ failure could be the result of drug-drug interaction, atorvastatin and verapamil, as verapamil is known to increase the serum concentration of atorvastatin significantly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA.
authors.forename: Ramprasad
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kandavar
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Sander
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D014700:Verapamil