[Severe rhabdomyolysis associated with atorvastatin. Case report]

Dyslipidemia is a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Statins are safe drugs that are part of the routine treatment in patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), however, rhabdomyolysis associated with severe myonecrosis due to statins can occur and associated complications such as acute kidney injury increase mortality. The main objective of this article is to report the case of a critically ill patient with AMI who presented severe statin-associated rhabdomyolysis documented with muscle biopsy.

A 54-year-old man who presented with AMI, cardiogenic shock, and cardiorespiratory arrest requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation, fibrinolysis, and successful salvage coronary angiography. However, he presented severe rhabdomyolysis associated with atorvastatin that required suspension of the drug and multi-organ support in a Coronary Care Unit.

The prevalence of statin-associated rhabdomyolysis is low, however, the late elevation of CPK above 10 times its upper normal value in those patients with successful percutaneous coronary angiography should promptly draw attention, generate a diagnostic approach towards non-traumatic acquired causes of rhabdomyolysis and assess the suspension of statins.