Zocor and blood clots?

[worried]

Has anyone knowledge about Zocor potentially causing the formation of blood clots through either cardio myopathy or perhaps rhabdomyolysis? My mother had a heart attack two years ago, even though she nad no "risk factors" (except that she is 83 years old) and her cholesterol and blood pressure were low. Over the last 20 years she has taken Synthroid and over the last several years Vioxx.

Since the heart attack, she is on five medications for her heart including Zocor and two for blood pressure. Her memory started to decline after the heart attack, and then about six months ago she started having trouble breathing after an unusually long walk. At the ER it was determined that she had many blood clots in her lungs - a very serious condition. She had muscle pain, cramps and weakness in her legs several days and perhaps weeks before this occurred, and on the actual day this occurred she walked an unusually long route and was quite fatigued the whole time.

At the hospital, she was checked for rhabdomyolysis (the blood test) but the doctors said this was in the normal range. They found absolutely no evidence of clots in the legs or neck, and said that they do not know what caused them or where they came from. Coumadin was added to her medications.

As it is six months since this happened, her doctors have taken her off coumadin. I am worried that this scary situation could occur again.

I have researched the internet and we have gone to a wholistic MD near here (Dr. Wright at the Tahoma Clinic) that prescribed natural supplements to compensate for Zocor (reduce inflamation and cholesterol), but the cardiologists are totally against it.

[sos_group_owner]

Hi "worried",

Did your Mom's doctors just do one test for Rhabdomyolysis ?

Or this series of tests: Rhabdomyolysis Diagnosis & Tests
(An examination reveals tender or damaged skeletal muscles.)

* Urinalysis (may reveal casts and be positive for hemoglobin without
evidence of red blood cells on microscopic examination)
* Urine myoglobin test
* Serum myoglobin test
* CPK
* Serum potassium (if very high may be due to potassium released from
cells into the bloodstream when there is cell breakdown).

Sometimes a muscle biopsy is required to confirm muscle damage caused
by statins.

There are over 16,000 lawsuits against Merck right now because Vioxx
causes heart attacks. Patients taking Vioxx have a 50 percent greater
chance of heart attacks and sudden cardiac death.

Vioxx also causes blood clots.

Use your gut instincts, but I would continue taking your Mom to the
holistic MD and fire her cardiologists.

Fran