Prevalence of statin induced myopathy in Lahore, Pakistan

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pharmacology
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases are a leading global cause of death, often linked to lipid plaque formation.
• Statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) are primary treatments for hyperlipidemia but can cause myopathy.
• Statin-induced myopathy is a significant, dose-dependent side effect requiring prevalence assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of statin-induced myopathy (myalgia) in patients.
• To identify demographic and treatment-related factors associated with statin-induced myalgia.
• To investigate the relationship between myalgia and statin type, dose, and duration of use.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 300 patients aged 40-80 years at Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore.
• Data collection included patient symptoms for myalgia and Creatine Phospho Kinase (CPK) levels for symptomatic individuals.
• Statistical analysis using SPSS version 21 to evaluate prevalence and correlations.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of myalgia was 51%, with higher rates in females (57%) than males (47%), particularly in the 40-50 age group.
• Significant associations were found between myalgia and statin type (p=0.05), duration of use (p=0.036), and dose (p=0.031).
• Myalgic symptoms showed a direct correlation with statin dose, duration, and type.

Conclusions:

• While the overall prevalence of myalgia was not statistically significant, females exhibited greater susceptibility.
• Myalgia is directly related to the dose, duration, and type of statin prescribed.
• Findings underscore the importance of monitoring statin-induced myopathy, especially in specific patient groups and treatment regimens.