A rare type of muscle injury can occur when the cholesterol drug simvastatin is combined with the anti-arrhythmia medicine amiodarone, U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned, according to Xinhuanet. Despite a warning in 2002 about combining the drugs, the administration officials said Friday it had continued to receive reports of rhabdomyolysis, a muscle injury that can bring on kidney failure or lead to death. An ingredient in Merck & Co's Zocor and Abbott Laboratories Inc's Simcor, simvastatin is sold generically, and also is one of two components in Merck and Schering-Plough Corp's Vytorin. Amiodarone is an ingredient in Wyeth's Cordarone and is also sold generically.
