A 68-year-old man comes to the physician because of severe muscle aches and fatigue for 2 days. Last week he was diagnosed with atypical pneumonia and treated with clarithromycin. He has hyperlipidemia and coronary artery disease with an acute myocardial infarction 2 years ago. Physical examination shows diffuse tenderness in the proximal muscles of the upper and lower extremities. Serum creatine kinase activity is elevated. Which of the following drug combinations is most likely responsible for this patient's condition?

Question

A 68-year-old man comes to the physician because of severe muscle aches and fatigue for 2 days. Last week he was diagnosed with atypical pneumonia and treated with clarithromycin. He has hyperlipidemia and coronary artery disease with an acute myocardial infarction 2 years ago. Physical examination shows diffuse tenderness in the proximal muscles of the upper and lower extremities.  Serum creatine kinase activity is elevated.  Which of the following drug combinations is most likely responsible for this patient's condition?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: The primary side effects of statins include myopathy and hepatitis.  Fibrates such as gemfibrozil can impair hepatic clearance of statins, increasing the risk of severe myopathy.

A 68-Year-Old Man Comes to the Physician Because of Severe