University of Oxford researchers have found a gene mutation that is the major cause of a rare but serious side effect of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs.

They found that a variation in the DNA code of a gene called SLC01B1 was responsible for 60% of the myopathy (severe muscle pain and weakness) cases in people taking high dose statin therapy.

The discovery could lead to a simple test to identify patients at increased risk of myopathy. It would also enable higher doses of statins to be safely prescribed to patients not at risk of the condition.

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