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How to avoid muscle pain and weakness from statins

Common side effects of statins include a range of muscle problems.  Rhabdomyolysis is the most severe, defined as muscle pain and weakness with a marked elevation in creatinine kinase enzyme levels (typically 10 times the upper limit of normal) and with creatinine elevation.  Fortunately, rhabdomyolysis is an extremely rare side effect of statins. 

Statins can also cause mysositis, defined as muscle symptoms with increased creatinine kinase (CK) levels, and myalgias, defined as muscle aches and/or weakness without CK elevation.  Myositis and myalgias are more common adverse effects of statins than rhabdomyolysis. Approximately 10% of patients in observational studies report muscle symptoms while on statins.