You are supposed to get it checked every 6 months... regardless. Statins are nasty drugs... you want to make sure you keep up on your blood tests when taking them. You want to find out sooner, rather than later, if statins are causing you an issue. There is no way I would wait a year between blood tests when taking statins. They can cause a Rhabdomyolysis, a very rare side effect.


Rhabdomyolysis is a fatal side effect of cholesterol lowering statin drugs that was responsible for the eventual recall of the Baychol in August 2001. Defined as a disorder involving injury to the kidney caused by toxic effects of the contents of muscle cells, rhabdomyolysis can become fatal. Baycol was the first statin directly linked to death because of rhabdomyolysis.

When the muscle is damaged from rhabdomyolysis, it releases pigments from the muscle and blood into the bloodstream. The kidney then filters the pigments out of the blood and it accumulates in the kidney and blocks up the filtering portion of the kidney, causing kidney failure.

[QUOTE]Defined as a disorder involving injury to the kidney caused by toxic effects of the contents of muscle cells, rhabdomyolysis can become fatal. Baycol was the first statin directly linked to death because of rhabdomyolysis.

When the muscle is damaged from rhabdomyolysis, it releases pigments from the muscle and blood into the bloodstream. The kidney then filters the pigments out of the blood and it accumulates in the kidney and blocks up the filtering portion of the kidney, causing kidney failure.

Venture Man,

there's no doubt Lipitor, as most other drugs, has very nasty side effects in some people.

I was very surprised to learn that it can be beneficial to people with certain kidney diseases. :)
A study was done in 2003 by Bianchi et al that suggests that statins, when combined with ACE inhibitors and ARBs, may reduce proteinuria and SLOW the progression of kidney disease. (A controlled, prospective study of the effects of atorvastatin on proteinuria and progression of kidney disease). I thought I'd mention it. This could be the reason my nephrologist insisted I stay on the statin when I discontinued it due to certain side effects.

Flowergirl

I think that the first month, then 3 months later, and if all is well, every annual physical thereafter unless some problems develop (upper right abdomnal quadrant pain, nausea, fat intolerance, or jaundice, dark urine.)
Liver problems with statins are rare and rhabdomyolysis almost unheard of since the discontinuation of Baycol.

Some doctors would like to see patients monthly or weekly especially those with good insutrance policies, even when it's not medically necessary.