Statins & Musculoskeletal Pain

The incidence of adverse musculoskeletal and rheumatologic events in patients who are prescribed and medicated with cholesterol-lowering stating drugs is greater than in patients who are not medicated. The evidence is already established that myalgia (muscle pain) is a common effect when taking statins, due to the fact that mechanism by which the body produces CoQ10 is shut down when cholesterol synthesis is shut down. However, this new review further ties incidents such as sprains, strains and according to one review, joint disease or osteoarthritis with statin use.

The researchers stated, "this is the first study, using propensity score matching, to show that statin use is associated with an increased likelihood of diagnoses of musculoskeletal conditions, arthropathies, and injuries."

One of the lead researchers noted that the "wide array of clinical presentations" of musculoskeletal adverse events associated with statins includes myalgias, muscle weakness, muscle cramps, rhabdomyolysis, autoimmune muscle disease, and tendinous diseases.

When it comes to joint pain versus cardiovascular health, cardiovascular health rightfully takes precedence. The issue becomes the tendency among primary care providers to prescribe statin drugs such as simvastatin, atorvastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and fluvastatin or lovastatin as the first line therapy increases annually and the patients become younger. 

Primary care providers should always weigh the benefits and complications with prescribing statins to all patients, but specifically younger patients. The first line therapy should always be dietary and lifestyle modification widely reported and available in a number of reputable sources.