A 55-year-old male patient with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) is prescribed medication to prevent further cardiac events. After several months, he reports new symptoms of muscle pain and weakness. Which of the following medications is most likely causing these symptoms?

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Statins. Answer: Statins Statins are a common medication prescribed to reduce cholesterol levels and prevent cardiac events such as myocardial infarction (MI). A known side effect of statins is muscle pain and weakness, known as myopathy. This side effect can be bothersome enough to lead to non-compliance with the treatment. If myopathy is significant, the patient may benefit from a different lipid-lowering therapy. Aspirin is an antiplatelet medication commonly used for its blood-thinning properties but does not typically cause muscle pain. Beta-blockers are used to manage cardiac conditions such as hypertension and arrhythmias but also do not commonly cause muscle pain. ACE inhibitors are used to treat hypertension and heart failure but are more likely to cause a dry cough or hyperkalemia.

A 55-year-old male patient with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) is prescribed medication to prevent further cardiac events. After several months, he reports new symptoms of muscle pain and weakness. Which of the following medications is most likely causing these symptoms?

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