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Baycol Side Effects

Baycol was a cholesterol-lowering drug withdrawn by manufacturer Bayer in 2001 after reports of severe side effects. The brand name for cerivastatin, Baycol was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997. Baycol side effects have resulted in thousands of lawsuits.

  1. Function

    • Baycol was in the category of statin drugs. It reduced levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the so-called bad cholesterol, and triglycerides, another type of fat in the blood.

    Significance

    • Bayer withdrew Baycol because of side effects that included fatal cases of rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis causes skeletal muscle to break down into the bloodstream, resulting in kidney damage. Additionally, Baycol use was linked to some cases of liver damage.

    Risk Factors

    • Rhabdomyolysis associated with Baycol was most prevalent in the elderly, in people taking high doses of the drug, and in patients also taking Gemfibrozil, another cholesterol-lowering drug.

    Pregnancy Considerations

    • Baycol was classified as FDA pregnancy category X because it caused severe birth defects.

    Gastrointestinal Effects

    • Most other Baycol side effects were gastrointestinal. They included abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, gas, heartburn, upset stomach and nausea.

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