Oral use of "Low and Slow" Rosuvastatin with Co-Enzyme Q10 in patients with Statin-Induced Myalgia: Retrospective case review.

BACKGROUND

Statins have proven efficacy in reducing vascular disease, but statin-induced myalgia is relatively common in clinical practice, and can sometimes leave patients who are high risk for vascular disease unable to take these important preventative treatments. Low or intermittent dose rosuvastatin has been shown to be useful in lowering cholesterol with fewer side-effects. Supplementation with co-enzyme Q10 is suggested to reduce statin-induced myalgia.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients attending a tertiary referral lipid clinic with statin-induced myalgia was carried out. Patients were counseled on commencing low-dose rosuvastatin, titrated at monthly intervals, and supplemented by co-enzyme Q10 100 mg daily.

RESULTS

Forty Three patients were reviewed. Six were unable to tolerate the regime at all. The remaining 37 patients tolerated rosuvastatin between 5 mg weekly and 20 mg daily. Total and LDL-cholesterol levels fell by a mean of 29.1% and 27.5%, respectively. 62.2% of patients achieved total cholesterol under 5.0 mmol/L.

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective review of clinical practice, "low and slow" rosuvastatin supplemented by co-enzyme Q10 led to clinically meaningful reductions in total and LDL-cholesterol in patients with statin-induced myalgia.