Anything that destroys muscle tissue can cause rhabdomyolysis. The causes of rhabdomyolysis can be classified as 
either physical or non-physical. Non-physical causes reported to cause rhabdomyolysis include: medications of statins, especially when prescribed in combinations with fibrates.
The following article will describe reportation of severe myopathy case and rhabdomyolysis associated with cerivastatin-gemfibrozil combination therapy. The article was one of TheTexas Heart Institute Journals. The authors reported a 72-year-old white man, admitted to hospital because of worsening generalized weakness for the past 7 days. The patient had a history of ischemic cardiomyopathy and hyperlipidemia and had been treated initially with lovastatin, then with simvastatin, and subsequently with atorvastatin.
The patient also had an elevated triglyceride level and had been started on gemfibrozil, 600 mg twice daily, 18 months before. Two weeks before admission, he stopped taking atorvastatin and started taking cerivastatin 0.3 mg daily, due to the availability of free drug samples. A week later the patient started to notice weakness around his hips that progressed to generalized weakness, which was more pronounced in his proximal muscles. He also complained of myalgia and stiffness around his shoulders, hips, and neck, according to the article.
Curious to complete this case report? Find full story of Statins in Combinations with Fibrates Reported to Cause Rhabdomyolysis with provided PDF file link to download (source: pubmedcentral.nih.gov). Browse Internal Medicine Categories in case you’re interested in.
