To the Editor: Bayer's voluntary withdrawal of cerivastatin from the U.S. market led to questions regarding the safety of all hydroxymethylglutaryl–coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, or statins. Myopathy and the rarer severe rhabdomyolysis are considered adverse events of therapy with this class of drugs.¹ Concomitant use of drugs that can increase blood levels of statins can increase the risk of myopathy, as can concomitant use of gemfibrozil.² We summarize the U.S. reports of fatal rhabdomyolysis associated with all six drugs in this class: lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, and cerivastatin.

We reviewed reports in the Adverse Event Reporting System of the . . .