Potential adverse effects of statins on muscle.

M any people have high blood cholesterol that may lead to coronary heart disease (CHD). A multifaceted approach consisting of diet, exercise, and pharmacological management is recommended to lower the risk of CHD.1 Elevated low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) has been established as a major cause of CHD.1 The group of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins (3-hydroxy3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A [HMG-CoA] reductase inhibitors) are widely and successfully used in the management of atherosclerotic disease processes that include CHD, myocardial infarction, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.2 Statins inhibit the formation of HMG-CoA reductase, which is essential in forming mevalonate, a precursor to cholesterol and other compounds. Lowering LDL-C is the goal of statin therapy, and multiple studies indicate that lowering LDL-C decreases the risk for CHD in people without a history of CHD and decreases the risk for cardiovascular events in people with a history of CHD.1