Zocor and Muscle Aches

If you're taking Zocor and muscle aches become a problem, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider. Also, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately if you have a fever or feel ill while experiencing muscle aches. These symptoms could indicate a serious problem. Myopathy and rhabdomyolysis are two muscle problems that can occur rarely in people taking Zocor. Rhabdomyolysis can cause the muscles to break down, leading to acute kidney failure and even loss of life.

 

Zocor and Muscle Aches: An Introduction

Muscle aches are a possible side effect of Zocor® (simvastatin), occurring in up to 1 percent of people who take the drug. Muscle aches are more common when Zocor treatment is first started and when the Zocor dosage is increased. For most people taking Zocor, muscle aches occur without any other more serious muscle symptoms.
 

Zocor and Muscle Aches: What to Watch For

However, in rare cases (less than 0.
 1 percent), people can develop a serious problem with their muscles while on Zocor, and muscle aches can be one of the symptoms. Myopathy and rhabdomyolysis are two serious muscle problems that are rarely seen in people taking Zocor. Rhabdomyolysis is very serious because it can cause muscles to break down, which can cause the kidneys to stop working properly (acute kidney failure), and in some cases result in loss of life.
 
If you develop muscle aches, weakness, tenderness, or pain (especially if you also have a fever or feel ill) while on Zocor, call your healthcare provider immediately. This could be a sign that you have a serious condition that needs treatment right away.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;