Sudden rhabdomyolysis in an elderly patient after single atorvastatin dose: The need for early and frequent creatine kinase monitoring in high-risk patients

Min Xiao; Lu Zhang; Yan Zhong; Guirong Xiao

doi:10.1177/2050313X20919623

Sudden rhabdomyolysis in an elderly patient after single atorvastatin dose: The need for early and frequent creatine kinase monitoring in high-risk patients

SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2020 Jul 15:8:2050313X20919623. doi: 10.1177/2050313X20919623. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Min Xiao¹, Lu Zhang², Yan Zhong³, Guirong Xiao¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
² West China-Washington Mitochondria and Metabolism Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
³ Department of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu Office of People's Government of Tibetan Autonomous Region, Chengdu, China.

Abstract

An 80-year-old patient with diabetes mellitus, chronic bronchitis, and chronic heart failure presented with pain in the right calf after one dose of atorvastatin. Significant increases in creatine kinase, myoglobin, and potassium levels were also observed. Based on the symptoms and laboratory results, the patient was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. Older patients with co-morbidities may have a higher risk of statin-associated myopathy. However, there is currently no recommendation for creatine kinase monitoring in this population. This case emphasizes the need to identify high-risk populations and provide early and more frequent creatine kinase measurements to help avoid statin-associated myopathy.

Keywords: Atorvastatin; creatine kinase; creatine kinase monitoring; rhabdomyolysis.

Publication types

Case Reports