Article · Volume 1, Issue 1 · pp. 30-32

Lovastatin-Erythromycin Induced Myositis: Case Report and Possible Mechanism

Rao Jaya M¹, Hassali Mohamed Azmi², Saleem Fahad², Ashutosh Kumar Verma²

¹Head of Clinical Department, Hospital Kulim, 09000 Kedah, MALAYSIA.
²Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, MALAYSIA.

Abstract

Lovastatin and erythromycin when used concurrently may cause myositis. Lovastatin is metabolized by the cytochrome CYP450 system, mainly using the CYP3A4 pathway. Drugs that inhibit or compete for the CYP450 pathway can cause elevations in lovastatin blood levels and resulting in possibility of increased side effects. Erythromycin is one of the agents known as one of the potent CYP450 pathway inhibitor, which can cause an acute increase of lovastatin concentration. We present a case of lovastatin-erythromycin induced myositis occurring in a 73-year-old female patient who was admitted to the intensive care unit for acute pulmonary oedema.

Keywords: Lovastatin; Erythromycin; Myositis; Mechanism

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