The popular statin medication Altoprev (lovastatin extended-release) has been linked to a number of serious side effects including muscle damage, rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure, diabetes and death. Statin drugs like Altoprev are currently the best-selling prescription medications in the United States, generating an estimated $15 billion in sales each year. Altoprev uses the liver to block the body’s creation of cholesterol, which is a key contributor to coronary artery disease (CAD).
Free Altoprev Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has suffered from muscle damage, rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure, or diabetes after taking Altoprev, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer of Altoprev and we can help.
Altoprev Overview
Manufactured and marketed by Andrx Pharmaceuticals, Altoprev belongs to a class of drugs known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (commonly known as statins) that work by reducing levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) and triglycerides in the blood, while increasing levels of ‘good’ cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or LDL). The medication is typically prescribed to lower the risk of stroke, heart attack and other heart complications in patients with diabetes, coronary heart disease, and other serious health conditions. Altoprev was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002.
In addition to Altoprev, other potentially dangerous FDA-approved drugs from the statin class include:
Altoprev Side Effects
Altoprev has recently been linked to the following serious side effects:
- muscle damage
- myopathy
- kidney damage
- kidney failure (also known as renal failure)
- rhabdomyolysis
- diabetes
- death
Other, less severe side effects commonly reported by Altoprev users include:
- headache
- joint pain
- muscle pain
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- unexplained muscle pain
- tenderness
- weakness
- leg pain
- insomnia
- hair loss
- vomiting
Altoprev Myopathy & Rhabdomyolysis
Although the precise incidence is currently unknown, statin-induced myopathy is among the most common causes of muscle damage. Altoprev-induced myopathy ranges from mild myalgias with or without weakness to chronic myopathy with severe weakness, to massive rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure. Signs and symptoms of myopathy caused by Altoprev may include:
- muscle weakness
- cramps
- stiffness
- tetany (involuntary contraction of the muscles)
Altoprev Kidney Injury
According to the results of a 2010 study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), cholesterol-lowering statin drugs like Altoprev can significantly increase a person’s risk of developing severe kidney damage. Researchers from Nottingham University in the United Kingdom examined data on more than 2 million patients between the ages of 30 and 84 who had been prescribed statin medications. The researchers confirmed prior data suggesting that statins increase patients’ risk of kidney failure, finding that for every 10,000 patients treated with the drugs, 23 would develop acute renal failure. Signs and symptoms of Altoprev-induced kidney damage may include:
- vomiting
- nausea
- weight loss
- nocturnal urination
- more or less frequent urination habits
- itching
- bone damage
- muscle cramps
- abnormal heart rhythms
- muscle paralysis
- swelling of the legs, ankles, feet or hands
- dizziness
- low blood pressure
Altoprev & Diabetes
On February 28, 2012, the FDA issued a press release stating that it would be requiring Altoprev and other similar drugs from the statin class to carry a new warning about the increased risk of elevated blood sugar in users of these medications. The FDA’s decision was based on findings from the JUPITER trial involving Crestor, which found a 27% increase in new onset diabetes among test subjects taking the drug. Signs and symptoms of Altoprev-induced diabetes may include:
- frequent urination
- unusual thirst
- extreme hunger
- unusual weight loss
- extreme fatigue and irritability
- frequent infections
- blurred vision
- cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
- tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
- recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections
Do You Have an Altoprev Lawsuit?
The Product Liability & Defective Drug Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Altoprev lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new muscle damage, rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure, diabetes and death cases in all 50 states.
Free Altoprev Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury you feel may have been caused by Altoprev, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing an Altoprev injury suit and we can help.
