Lipid drugs: statin adverse effects: practice question

A Pharmacology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Pharmacology · Lipid drugs: statin adverse effects

Sample item

A man on atorvastatin develops diffuse muscle pain, dark urine and a very high creatine kinase. What is the diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Statin-induced rhabdomyolysis

Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase and can cause myopathy that progresses to rhabdomyolysis with myoglobinuria and acute kidney injury. Therapy should be stopped promptly, and transaminase elevation is a separate effect.

Option by option

  • A. Statin-induced rhabdomyolysis (correct)

    Correct. Muscle pain, high CK and dark urine indicate rhabdomyolysis.

  • B. Dermatomyositis

    Dermatomyositis would not follow starting the drug in this pattern.

  • C. Statin-induced hepatitis

    Hepatitis would be reflected in transaminases and not in dark urine from myoglobin.

  • D. Hypothyroid myalgia

    The stem gives no thyroid evidence.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Pharmacology questions

Questions about this Pharmacology question

What is the answer to this Pharmacology question?

The best answer is A, Statin-induced rhabdomyolysis. Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase and can cause myopathy that progresses to rhabdomyolysis with myoglobinuria and acute kidney injury.

Why is "Dermatomyositis" not the answer?

Dermatomyositis would not follow starting the drug in this pattern.

Why is "Statin-induced hepatitis" not the answer?

Hepatitis would be reflected in transaminases and not in dark urine from myoglobin.

Why is "Hypothyroid myalgia" not the answer?

The stem gives no thyroid evidence.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Lipid drugs: statin adverse effects in Pharmacology. Therapy should be stopped promptly, and transaminase elevation is a separate effect.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Lipid drugs: statin adverse effects?

Learn drugs as classes, then the exception in each class that an examiner would pick. Then use the flashcards and the other Pharmacology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.