Do the other statins have serious side effects?
Statins, like all prescription drugs, have side effects. In the case of statins, the most serious and the most rare is rhabdomyolysis. This condition is more likely to occur when statins are being taken in combination with drugs called fibrates. While deaths have been associated with rhabdomyolysis caused by the use of other statins, it appears to be more common with Baycol, which is why it was withdrawn from the market. In general, the risk of a fatal reaction to a statin drug is very low. As is the case with all prescription drugs, however, patients should carefully follow their physicians’ directions on their use and read the information included with the prescription to learn more about the drug’s potential side effects.
