IMPORTANT NEWS ALERT - On August 8, 2001 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Bayer Pharmaceutical Division is voluntarily withdrawing Baycol (cerivastatin) from the U.S. market because of reports of sometimes fatal rhabdomyolysis, a severe muscle adverse reaction from this cholesterol-lowering (lipid-lowering) product. The FDA agrees with and supports this decision. All patients taking Baycol should contact their healthcare providers to discuss treatment alternatives.
To view the FDA press release, please see the recall posting "Bayer Voluntarily Withdraws Baycol" in the Medication Recall area.
DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Cerivastatin is a drug that lowers cholesterol in the blood by blocking the enzyme in the liver that is responsible for producing cholesterol. It lowers total cholesterol as well as the LDL subfraction of cholesterol in the blood. LDL cholesterol is believed to be the "bad" cholesterol that is primarily responsible for the development of coronary artery disease. Lowering LDL cholesterol levels retards and may even reverse coronary artery disease. Cerivastatin is in the same class of drugs (HMGCoA reductase inhibitors) as atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), pravastatin (Pravachol), lovastatin (Mevacor), and fluvastatin (Lescol). Cerivastatin was approved by the FDA in 1997.