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Myalgia in Patients on High‐Dose and Low‐to‐Moderate Dose Statin Therapy
Author(s) -
Gujral Gina R,
Cottrell W Neil,
Barras Michael
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of pharmacy practice and research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.222
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 2055-2335
pISSN - 1445-937X
DOI - 10.1002/j.2055-2335.2009.tb00453.x
Subject(s) - myalgia , medicine , statin , rheumatoid arthritis , incidence (geometry) , physical therapy , optics , physics
Background Statin use has been associated with muscle toxicity and clinically significant muscle symptoms. Aim To investigate if high‐dose statin users have a greater incidence of myalgia than low‐to‐moderate dose statin users. Method A questionnaire‐based interview of participants at a hospital and community pharmacy in Brisbane. Data were gathered on the history of statin use, presence of myalgia, analgesic use and self‐reported adherence. Participants were excluded if they had a chronic degenerative musculoskeletal condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Results 192 participants were included in the study – 65 (34%) in the low‐to‐moderate dose group and 127 (66%) in the high‐dose group. Excluding participants with a pre‐existing painful condition (n = 72), myalgia was reported by 24 (37%) patients in the low‐to‐moderate dose group and 42 (33%) in the high‐dose group (p = 0.22). 8 (12%) patients in the low‐to‐moderate dose group used analgesics compared to 24 (19%) in the high‐dose group (p = 0.34). Adherence in both groups was the same when assessed using the Morisky scale. Conclusion There was no significant difference in myalgia between the high and low‐to‐moderate dose statin groups. The incidence of myalgia in statin users was higher than reported in previous studies.