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Lawsuits contend drug harms muscles and memory

By JOE GRAEDON and TERESA GRAEDON
Published June 27, 2006

Can cholesterol-lowering drugs cause memory loss and debilitating muscle pain? That's the allegation made by two men who have filed lawsuits against Pfizer Inc., the maker of Lipitor. They claim the company did not adequately warn them about Lipitor's complications.

Charles Wilson, 67, used to be an insurance executive from Atlanta. He claims that Lipitor produced memory loss, weakness in arms and legs, fatigue and nerve damage.

Michael Mazzariello is a 47-year-old lawyer in New York. He maintains that Lipitor contributed to extreme muscle weakness, nerve pain and memory problems.

The company says that few people who take Lipitor experience serious problems. In addition, Pfizer maintains that all the potential side effects are described in the labeling provided to doctors. The company denies that it has withheld any information.

But how well-informed are most patients about such side effects? Some physicians are skeptical that the cholesterol-lowering drugs they prescribe could have any effect on mental function or muscles, and thus they may not discuss these possible reactions with patients.

The first inkling we had of memory problems related to this class of drug, called statins, came from a reader six years ago:

"Last fall my doctor prescribed Lipitor, and after several months I found I was having trouble remembering names and coming up with the right word. At dinner once I said, 'Please pass the elephant' though I wanted the bread. I was afraid I'd had a stroke.

"Then a friend came to visit. She was worried about her memory and couldn't think of her daughter's name on the telephone. She, too, was on Lipitor.

"I asked my doctor to prescribe a different cholesterol medicine. Within a couple of weeks I was more mentally alert. But my friend (still on Lipitor) was in worse shape and afraid she would lose her job. Her doctor said that her forgetfulness could not be caused by the drug. She stopped taking Lipitor anyway and now is much sharper."

When we received this letter, nothing in the prescribing information indicated memory problems or cognitive difficulties. That may explain why so many readers told us that their doctors refused to believe the drug could be responsible.

But during the past several years we have heard from hundreds of readers about memory or muscle problems. Many reported that their backs or legs hurt so much they could barely walk, even though their blood tests were normal. Others complained of joint problems or unrelenting nerve pain.

Lipitor isn't alone. Many readers have experienced difficulties while taking other statin medications, including Zocor, Crestor and Pravachol.

Millions have benefited from these drugs. But some people apparently cannot tolerate the side effects.

Anyone who would like to learn more about this apects of statins might be interested in a radio interview we conducted with several physicians who have studied such issues. To order a CD of this one-hour conversation, please send $16 to People's Pharmacy (CD-523), P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It is also available at www.peoplespharmacy.com. Look for radio show No. 523.

Hormone therapy has risks.

I am 46 years old and recently started to have erratic periods. My OB-GYN says that I'm nearing menopause and recommended a low-dose birth control pill.

Are oral contraceptives safer than hormone replacement therapy? I am concerned about blood clots and breast cancer. I occasionally suffer from menstrual migraines and worry that hormones might make them worse.

Most birth control pills contain estrogen and progestin, similar to the ingredients in hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. Even a low-dose oral contraceptive has more of these hormones than HRT, so it's hard to say they are safer.

Women who suffer from migraines around the time of their periods may find that these become worse when they take birth control pills. The risks of breast cancer and blood clots are small, but real, especially if you smoke.

For more information about the benefits and risks of hormones, we are sending you our Guide to Estrogen. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (63 cents), self-addressed envelope to Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. W-49, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It can also be downloaded for $2 from our Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Write to them through their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

King Features

[Last modified June 27, 2006, 07:40:20]