Affiliations: East Texas Medical Center and Trinity Mother Francis
Hospital, Tyler, TX, USA | University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX,
USA | Coenzyme Q10 Laboratory, Inc., Tyler, TX, USA | Hollins University, Roanoke, VA, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Peter H. Langsjoen, MD, FACC, 1107
Doctors Dr., Tyler, TX 75701, USA. E-mail: langsjoen@compuserve.com
Abstract: Fifty consecutive new cardiology clinic patients who were on statin
drug therapy (for an average of 28 months) on their initial visit were
evaluated for possible adverse statin effects (myalgia, fatigue, dyspnea,
memory loss, and peripheral neuropathy). All patients discontinued statin
therapy due to side effects and began supplemental CoQ_{10}
at an average of 240 mg/day upon initial visit. Patients have been followed for
an average of 22 months with 84% of the patients followed now for more than 12
months. The prevalence of patient symptoms on initial visit and on most recent
follow-up demonstrated a decrease in fatigue from 84% to 16%, myalgia from 64%
to 6%, dyspnea from 58% to 12%, memory loss from 8% to 4% and peripheral
neuropathy from 10% to 2%. There were two deaths from lung cancer and one death
from aortic stenosis with no strokes or myocardial infarctions. Measurements of
heart function either improved or remained stable in the majority of patients.
We conclude that statin-related side effects, including statin cardiomyopathy,
are far more common than previously published and are reversible with the
combination of statin discontinuation and supplemental
CoQ_{10}. We saw no adverse consequences from statin
discontinuation.
