Thrombocytopenic purpura during therapy with simvastatin.

The authors describe a case of very serious thrombocytopenic purpura occurring in a diabetic and hyperlipidemic woman during therapy with simvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor drug. Interruption of the medical treatment produced a prompt reversal of the thrombocytic attack: one year later the patient's platelet count remains within the normal range. The authors have not found other reports in the medical literature of similar serious reactions during therapy with an HMG-CoA reductase inhibiting substance; nevertheless, a causal nexus is hypothesized but not argued in this case, since further studies will be needed before this connection can be established.