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Dangerous mix of cholesterol drugs and grapefruit
-January 2, 2006

While the risk has been known for some time, British officials announced again last week that consuming grapefruit or its juice while taking cholesterol-lowering drugs like Crestor, Lipitor, or Zocor can greatly increase one's risk of developing a serious and potentially fatal muscle disease. According to British officials, people taking Merck's Zocor or Pfizer's Lipitor were at the greatest risk of developing rhabdomyolysis.

The chemical mix of grapefruit and cholesterol lowering medications triggers this serious side effect, which can lead to kidney failure and death. Grapefruit contains a chemical that inactivates a liver enzyme responsible for metabolizing certain medications. Consumption of grapefruit juice while taking drugs like Lipitor can allow excessive amounts of the drug to enter the blood.

According to medical officials, HIV protease inhibitors can pose a similar risk to patients taking cholesterol-controlling medications.

Muscle toxicity is a risk posed by all statin medications. While Lipitor and Zocor are most strongly linked with the grapefruit risk, Crestor is most strongly linked to the risk of rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a potentially fatal condition during which the muscles begin to breakdown, releasing chemicals into the blood. These muscle contents travel to the kidneys where they are toxic, leading to kidney damage, failure, or even death.

Crestor has been linked to dozens of cases of rhabdomyolysis, prompting consumer advocacy group Public Citizen to call for a Crestor recall.

If you or a loved one is taking any form of cholesterol lowering medication, it is important to speak with your doctor about the risk of serious side effects like rhabdomyolysis.

For more information on drug safety concerns, please contact us.

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