Dr. Vera Fernandes, a collaborator at the Taipas Termal Medical Clinic in the Endocrinology area, along with Dr. Maria Joana Santos and Professor Dr. António Perez, conducted a study that aimed to review one of the main side effects of statins (drugs used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and in the control of cardiovascular risk), which consists of their toxicity in muscle tissue.
According to that study: “Myalgia is a frequent reason for non-adherence to this drug, which can be concerning in patients at high cardiovascular risk. On the other hand, the high prevalence of statin use and the frequency of this side effect are a concern in clinical practice. Diagnosis is often a challenge, and there is not much information about the best therapeutic strategy.”
Thus, the study developed by Dr. Vera Fernandes, Dr. Maria Joana Santos, and Professor Dr. António Perez consisted of a review of the definition, pathophysiology, predisposing conditions, diagnosis, and treatment of statin myotoxicity, and provided a practical outline for guiding cases in clinical practice.
This article was published in the Spanish medical journal “Endocrinología y Nutrición” (journal of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition, and the Spanish Society of Diabetes).
