Can some medications cause muscle cramps?

BOSTON — Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your medical questions. 

Norma on Facebook is wondering if her medication is causing muscle cramps, asking "I get really bad muscle cramps at night. I take ezetimibe and simvastatin. Could they be the cause?"

Each of the cholesterol-lowering medications you're taking can cause muscle cramps, and the chances are even higher when taken together.  

It's not clear why some people experience this side effect from these drugs and others don't, though people with hypothyroidism, kidney disease, and liver disease may be more susceptible.  

Please tell your doctor that you're having muscle cramps so he or she can make sure you don't have any evidence of muscle injury and decide whether you need to change to a different medication.

Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

Twitter Facebook