Statin-Associated Bilateral Foot Myopathy.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Statins are widely prescribed for hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease prevention.
• Statin-associated myopathy is a known side effect, typically affecting proximal muscles.
• Accumulation of statin metabolites in myocytes can lead to muscle damage.

Observation:

• A 44-year-old male developed bilateral foot pain and weakness while on atorvastatin.
• Symptoms resolved after discontinuing atorvastatin but recurred with rosuvastatin.
• The Naranjo scale confirmed a definite association between statin use and foot myopathy.

Findings:

• This patient presented with an atypical manifestation of statin myopathy, localized exclusively to the feet.
• The severity of foot myopathy impacted the patient's ambulation.
• The case demonstrates that statin-induced myopathy can occur in uncommon, distal muscle groups.

Implications:

• Early recognition of statin-associated muscle symptoms, even in rare locations, is vital.
• Uncommon myopathy presentations can affect medication adherence and patient quality of life.
• Identifying atypical statin myopathy allows for alternative lipid-lowering strategies to manage cardiovascular risk.