Pennsylvania Zocor Attorneys

Medications and prescription drugs are supposed to make us better. Unfortunately, pharmaceutical side effects can sometimes compromise our well-being nevertheless. Zocor, manufactured by Merck & Co., is a cholesterol lowering drug that, dependant on dosage, can lead to debilitating muscle injury which could result in further, possibly fatal complications.

According to the FDA, Zocor, with active ingredient simvastatin, may be unsafe to take in 80 mg dosages. While one prevalent side effect of Zocor consumption is myopathy (muscle injury), taking 80 mg dosages of Zocor can result in rhabdomyolysis, the most serious form of myopathy, which can lead to severe kidney damage and possibly Zocor-related kidney failure which could result in death. The FDA has reviewed information from clinical trials and is currently comparing the health, well-being, and medical complications present amongst individuals taking 20 mg dosages of Zocor and those taking the scrutinized 80 mg dosage.

As mentioned, Zocor use, regardless of dosage amount, is known to cause muscle break down, which in serious cases can result in the release of myoglobin. This release of protein, known as rhabdomyolysis can damage the kidneys, ultimately causing them to fail in some cases. Furthermore, Zocor has been linked to a host of other health problems, including heart attacks, which are more prevalent in those patients taking the 80 mg dosage than those patients who are taking the 20 mg dosage.

Zocor was approved for use in the United States in 1991, but the patent for the drug expired on June 23, 2006, opening the market up to generic brands as well. Since then, in 2008, the FDA issued its first warning pertaining to rhabdomyolysis being linked to Zocor use. In March of 2010, the FDA issued two more warnings. In the first, it asked healthcare professionals to avoid prescribing Zocor dosages higher than 40 mg when patients are taking other medications, and stressed the notion that taking the drug in 80 mg dosages greatly increases the likelihood of patients developing rhabdomyolysis. Despite this warning, as well as the warning against side effects that accompany Zocor use, doctors and other medical professionals are continuing to prescribe the cholesterol fighting drug to patients.

Pharmaceutical negligence is a complicated branch of product liability law. Clinical studies and known patient injuries need to be thoroughly examined in order to help hold negligent pharmaceutical companies and medical professionals accountable for prescribing their patients dangerous medication. If you've sustained health ailments, such as rhabdomyolysis or kidney failure as a result of 80 mg dosages of Zocor, please do not hesitate to contact the Philadelphia Zocor rhabdomyolysis attorneys at Anapol Schwartz. Our personal injury attorneys will fight to ensure that your rights as a patient are not infringed upon in a court of law. Call us today at 1-866-735-2792 for a free case evaluation.

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