Multiple tendon ruptures associated with statin therapy.

We present the case of a 44-year-old physician with familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia who experienced multiple tendon ruptures during 19 years of statin therapy and no tendon injuries in the 5 years since statins were discontinued. Statins may deleteriously affect tendon extracellular matrix by inhibiting synthesis of matrix metalloproteinases and cell cycle regulatory proteins. Clinicians should be aware of this possible association between statins and tendinopathy.