Baycol is one of several drugs known as "statins" which help lower the so-called "bad kind" of cholesterol. It does this by promoting production of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), the "good" cholesterol that lowers the artery-clogging risk of high levels of LDL. Baycol was withdrawn from the market in August of 2001. It can cause skeletal muscle damage leading to a condition called Rhabdomyolysis, which can result in kidney failure and death.

Originally prescribed to lower cholesterol, Baycol has been voluntarily recalled by Bayer Pharmaceuticals because it was linked to Rhabdomyolysis, which can be fatal.