Mayo Clinic has established a Statin Intolerance Clinic as part of the Cardiovascular Health Clinic to better diagnose, risk stratify, and treat patients with statin-associated adverse effects.
In addition to evaluating muscle symptoms with a validated questionnaire, standard work-up includes levels of creatine kinase and vitamin D, along with renal and thyroid function testing. When appropriate, genetic testing for statin efficacy and potential toxicity, proximal muscle strength evaluation, and percutaneous outpatient muscle biopsy are important assessment tools.
"Treatment depends on the individual patient and the patient's history of statin intolerance symptoms and may include either changing the dose or type of statin or switching to a nonstatin agent to treat hyperlipidemia," according to Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D., director of the new Statin Intolerance Clinic.
Other treatment options include supplements to reduce the myotoxicity symptoms attributable to impairment of fatty acid oxidation or mitochondrial dysfunction that result from the statin therapy. Patients who are either on statin therapy or have a family history of severe reactions to these agents but have never actually taken a statin drug can be referred to the Statin Intolerance Clinic by calling 507-538-6857.