The FDA says that doctors should no longer prescribe simvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, at the highest approved dosage of 80 mg, as it has been linked to increased risk of muscle damage at this dose.
It’s well known that muscle pain and weakness are a common side effect of all statin drugs, but there is more than just discomfort involved. The pain and weakness is actually a signal that the statin drugs are damaging muscle tissue, releasing dangerous proteins into the bloodstream as the muscle tissue is broken down. These proteins can damage the kidneys and eventually lead to a fatal complication, known as rhabdomyolysis.
The use of Zocor can lead to potentially life threatening muscle damage.