Clinical Perspective on p 103 The Effect of Statins on Muscle Performance study

Hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl CoA reductase inhibitors or statins are the most effective medications for reducing elevated concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cho-lesterol and produce remarkable reductions in cardiovascular events.1 Statins can produce life-threatening rhabdomyolysis, but this is rare.2 Statins are more frequently associated with mild muscle complaints, including myalgia, cramps, and weakness, which may compromise medication compliance and quality of life. The reported incidence of myalgia during statin therapy ranges from 1 % in controlled studies3 to 25% in clinical reports.4 Muscle weakness has also been reported with statin therapy, but muscle performance and exercise per-formance have not been carefully studied.