Red Yeast Rice for Dyslipidemia in Statin-Intolerant Patients
Authors: Alfredo Vannacci
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2010)

Letters19 January 2010Red Yeast Rice for Dyslipidemia in Statin-Intolerant PatientsAlfredo Vannacci, MD, PhD, Francesco Lapi, PharmD, PhD, Eugenia Gallo, MS, Francesca Menniti-Ippolito, MS, PhD, Alessandro Mugelli, PhD, MD, and Fabio Firenzuoli, MDAlfredo Vannacci, MD, PhDFrom University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy.Search for more papers by this author, Francesco Lapi, PharmD, PhDFrom University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy.Search for more papers by this author, Eugenia Gallo, MSFrom University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy.Search for more papers by this author, Francesca Menniti-Ippolito, MS, PhDFrom University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy.Search for more papers by this author, Alessandro Mugelli, PhD, MDFrom University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy.Search for more papers by this author, and Fabio Firenzuoli, MDFrom University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-152-2-201001190-00025 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:We read with interest the article by Becker and colleagues (1) on the effects of red yeast rice in statin-intolerant patients. The results are certainly interesting, but the safety profile of red yeast rice when used in the “real world” should not be underestimated.We recently conducted an analysis (2) in the Italian adverse drug reactions database of natural health products (including herbal drugs and food supplements) and found 4 cases of myopathy associated with red yeast rice (dose range, 200 to 1200 mg/d; data were not available on monacolin content). Each patient reported muscle pain, and ...References1. Becker DJ, Gordon RY, Halbert SC, French B, Morris PB, Rader DJ. Red yeast rice for dyslipidemia in statin-intolerant patients: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2009;150:830-9, W147-9. [PMID: 19528562] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Lapi F, Gallo E, Bernasconi S, Vietri M, Menniti-Ippolito F, Raschetti R, et al. Myopathies associated with red yeast rice and liquorice: spontaneous reports from the Italian Surveillance System of Natural Health Products [Letter]. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2008;66:572-4. [PMID: 18637891] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Alfredo Vannacci, MD, PhD; Francesco Lapi, PharmD, PhD; Eugenia Gallo, MS; Francesca Menniti-Ippolito, MS, PhD; Alessandro Mugelli, PhD, MD; Fabio Firenzuoli, MDAffiliations: From University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoRed Yeast Rice for Dyslipidemia in Statin-Intolerant Patients David J. Becker , Ram Y. Gordon , Steven C. Halbert , Benjamin French , Patti B. Morris , and Daniel J. Rader Red Yeast Rice for Dyslipidemia in Statin-Intolerant Patients David J. Becker and Ram Y. Gordon Red Yeast Rice for Dyslipidemia in Statin-Intolerant Patients Anna L. Kolpakchi , Ikedieze I. Chukwu , and Maria T. Vlachaki Red Yeast Rice for Dyslipidemia in Statin-Intolerant Patients David G. Le Couteur Metrics Cited byRed Yeast Rice and Statin-Intolerant Patients 19 January 2010Volume 152, Issue 2Page: 135KeywordsAdverse reactionsCreatinine phosphokinaseDrug safetyDyslipidemiaFoodMyalgiaRhabdomyolysisRisk managementSafetyStatins ePublished: 19 January 2010 Issue Published: 19 January 2010 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2010 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...