[Creatine kinase increase under simvastatin--therapeutic consequences?].

Myopathy is the most serious, dose dependent adverse reaction of statins and may lead to rhabdomyolysis and death. Clinical symptoms are muscle pain, weakness and muscle cramps, main laboratory finding is an increase in serum creatine kinase (CK). If myopathy symptoms are present or CK levels are greater than 5 times the upper limits of normal, statin therapy should be discontinued. In case of an asymptomatic CK increase below 5 times the upper limits of normal, therapy can be continued with CK monitoring.