From the ALS board:

Default Statins and ALS-like syndrome
Statins and ALS-like syndrome



Drug Saf. 2007;30(6):515-25.

Statins, neuromuscular degenerative disease and an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like syndrome: an analysis of individual case safety reports from vigibase.Edwards IR, Star K, Kiuru A.
The WHO Foundation Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring, the Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC), Uppsala, Sweden.

BACKGROUND: The WHO Foundation Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring (Uppsala Monitoring Centre [UMC]) has received many individual case safety reports (ICSRs) associating HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor drug (statin) use with the occurrence of muscle damage, including rhabdomyolysis, and also peripheral neuropathy. A new signal has now appeared of disproportionally high reporting of upper motor neurone lesions.

AIM AND SCOPE: The aim of this paper is to present the upper motor neurone lesion cases, with other evidence, as a signal of a relationship between statins and an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-like syndrome. The paper also presents some arguments for considering that a spectrum of severe neuromuscular damage may be associated with statin use, albeit rarely. The paper does not do more than raise the signal for further work and analysis of what must be regarded as a potentially very serious and perhaps avoidable or reversible adverse reaction, though it also suggests action to be taken if an ALS-like syndrome should occur in a patient using statins.

METHODS: The 43 reports accounting for the disproportional reports in Vigibase (the database of the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring) are summarised and analysed for the diagnosis of an ALS-like syndrome. The issues of data quality and potential reporting bias are considered. RESULTS: 'Upper motor neurone lesion' is a rare adverse event reported in relationship to drugs in Vigibase (a database containing nearly 4 million ICSRs). Of the total of 172 ICSRs on this reported term, 43 were related to statins, of which 40 were considered further: all but one case was reported as ALS. In 34/40 reports a statin was the sole reported suspected drug. The diagnostic criteria were variable, and seven of the statin cases also had features of peripheral neuropathy. Of a total of 5534 ICSRs of peripheral neuropathy related to any drug in Vigibase, 547 were on statins. The disproportional reporting of statins and upper motor neurone lesion persisted after age stratification, and such disproportionality was not seen for statins and Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, extrapyramidal disorders, or multiple sclerosis-like syndromes.

The disproportionally high reporting makes this an important signal nevertheless, since ALS is serious clinically and statins are so widely used. Wide use of the statins also makes a chance finding more probable, but is unlikely to cause disproportional reporting when there are no obvious biases identified.

CONCLUSION: We emphasise the rarity of this possible association, and also the need for further study to establish whether a causal relationship exists. We do advocate that trial discontinuation of a statin should be considered in patients with serious neuromuscular disease such as the ALS-like syndrome, given the poor prognosis and a possibility that progression of the disease may be halted or even reversed.

PMID: 17536877 [PubMed - in process]

I believe that statins have been implicated before in PN. Patients need to be monitored for rhabdomyolisis (muscles breakdown) via blood testing.

I think statins save lives, however, they do have drawbacks, as do most medications.

We have to weigh our risk versus benefit ratio and accept whatever decisions we make....(Like I really regret having selective spinal nerve root injections big time.)

...since contracting my rapidly progressing Polyneuropathy, ( tip of the toes to top of the head in two weeks). We may find that statins are the Thalidiomide of today. You won't see a rush to confirm any results that are detrimental to a drug that makes big Pharm 11 billion a year in sales.

It is amazing at the rapidity that Big Pharm gets some of its drugs on the market, then drugs for orphan diseases don't get approved or get cut.

I am not a big fan of Big Pharm, the insurance industry etc.

When you are on the inside of the health care system, you see some stuff you would rather not see.

My doc jokes about what 'poisons' I have tried....he really isn't kidding, it is just sarcastic truth.

I can see if weight loss and exercise do not do the trick or are for some reason contraindcated, or you have familial hypercholesteremia, then you don't have options....I think that is what pharmaceuticals are supposed to be for, when you do not have other options and you need, absolutely NEED to take a drug.

I also do not like the algorithms the insurance companies set up before you can get a specific medication....first you have to try this, than that, then this...then you can have what really works...until your doc leaves and you can start all over again...or until your insurance plan changes and you need a new doc....

Who made things this complex?

I have to laugh at the OTC pain med commercials....the faces on the actors, when they are in such humungous pain as they bend over and a simple OTC pill solves their problem, geez, how bad can it be??

The other thing I totally do not understand is prescription drug commercials.

The newest confusing commercial is for Celebrex...IMO

(sorry I am enjoying the yikes icon this week)

You made me laugh too!! I got a real chuckle out of that post. But it is a serious problem. I see a new pill shoved at my Dad (80) and my step-Mom (72) on almost every doctor trip. I had a doctor's appt. right before noon this week and my doctor is always running late. I can't tell you how many thin, attractive young females with short skirts or tight pants I saw sitting in the doctor's waiting room (several doctors in one practice) all dragging a suitcase on wheels with drug supplies sticking out of it. I think they deliberately pick the girls, tell them how to dress and send them out to tantalize the doctors with drugs. And what's with this screen in the waiting room? silence, then it suddenly comes on with blaring music, tells you what drug and for what, then silence, then repeat of the whole cycle.

Am I cynical? Yes. It pays to be.
Billye

I was started on Lipitor at nearly the same time as acquiring RSI- repetitive strain injury/s -ongoing upper body muscle pain.

After a year of not much progress with the RSI {evolved into TOS?}
and various other odd symptoms -I looked up info about statins on many alternative and wellness websites.

A few things happened at about the same time frame- I decide to go off Lipitor as I was going to have to pay 129.00 a month, I wondered if some of my muscle pain and odd sx were caused by the Lipitor, my gramma had 300+ cholesterol and lived to be 93.
But on the flip side she did have total Alzheimer's for many yrs before she died. But no heart problems!
So one of my questions is - can high cholesterol have an effect in the brain - ie Alzheimer's??

So anyway about the same time of going off Lipitor I also had found a very good chiropractor and an advanced PT guy- both were of great help for my RSI/TOS as I call it now.

I began to have much less pain and sx and also the odd sx faded away- so I can't say for sure if it was just from going off the statin or from the better PT and chiro care. Most likely a combination of both.

High cholesterol can cause athersclerotic plaques to develop in the brain resulting in dementia. It is difficult to tell dementia from Alzheimer's symptomatically....Age 93 is not half bad!

--a number of us believe that statins may be the next big drug scandal, with poorly reported deleterious side effects that might dwarf those of the COX-2 inhibitors.

The sad part of this is that a good deal of evidence has accumulated over the years that no-flush niacin (and some fiber and fish oil) can be just as effective in controlling blood lipids:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...&dopt=Citation

http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/con...act/160/8/1177

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...&dopt=Abstract

http://jama.highwire.org/cgi/content...ct/284/10/1263

There's a lot more out there, but a lot of it dates from 10-15 years ago; with the advent of a new generation of statins, a lot of this clinical info has been shoved into the background--I imagine it's because companies can't make the money off of niacin that they can off statins . . .

My parotid glands on both sides have been swelling, and I had the doctor look at them too. She said with age, the saliva gets thick/sluggish and can't come out well. Treatment? Something SOUR twice a day--- like Jolly Ranchers!
A very sweet and doable treatment! LOL And it is working too LOL

There are studies out there that correlate longevity to higher cholesterol levels.
I have posted them countless times.

those interested can check:
http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm

Dr. Graveline's experience and resultant book: Liptor, Thief of Memory:
http://www.spacedoc.net/lipitor.htm
check out his whole website...it is a real eye opener!

And this geriatric paper:
http://www.cmellc.com/geriatrictimes/g040618.html

Keep in mind that most of the studies that hit the media are paid for by the drug companies. It parallels the misleading studies done with HRT therapy.
Wyeth had doctors believing estrogen prevented Alzheimer's, but the HERS study (which was terminated early because of horrible events) actually showed double incidence with HRT.

European studies are usually the first to come up with truthful data. The PN connection came from Denmark or Netherlands I believe.

The bottom line? Data is massaged to make statins look good. As time passes we are beginning to get trickles of the truth and I expect more to be forthcoming.