Statins and Clarithromycin : a dangerous combination. Case report and review of the literature

Statins account for the most prescribed drugs around the world. The number of patients treated by statins is estimated at 17% of the population older than 20 years and more (1). Similarly, Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is also very frequent worldwide and estimated to occur at least one over the life in one third of the population in western countries (2). The treatment recommended for HP by the Toronto consensus contains the use of clarithromycin (3). Consequently, the possibility that a patient receives concomitantly clarithromycin and a statin is very high.