Call for removal of Crestor (p 2189)June 23, 2004The author of a letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET is calling for the removal of the statin rosuvastatin (Crestor) from the drug market, based on data suggesting that it has a poorer safety profile than other licensed statin drugs. A Lancet editorial (Lancet 2003; 362: 1341) voiced concerns about the high-profile marketing of rosuvastatin despite the lack of strong evidence from large randomised trials to support its efficacy and safety. Writing in this week's issue, Sidney Wolfe from Public Citizen, a non-profit consumer advocacy organisation based in Washington DC, USA, presents pre-marketing and post-marketing data detailing a higher incidence of rhabdomyolysis (the breakdown of muscle fibre which can cause kidney failure) compared with other statins. Dr Wolfe comments: "By now, the number of reported cases of rhabdomyolysis and renal insufficiency or renal failure-20 of which have occurred in people using 10 mg [the lowest dose of the drug]-is certain to have increased substantially from the number filed by April 13, 2004. The renal toxicity, high rate of cases of rhabdomyolysis compared with other statins, and lack of unique benefit are compelling reasons to remove rosuvastatin from the market before additional patients are injured or killed. To allow AstraZeneca to continue desperately seeking a piece of the estimated $20 billion-a-year statin market hardly justifies governments allowing this ultimately doomed drug to stay on the market". (quote from published letter). Lancet |
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| Related Statins Current Events and Statins News Articles Early end to key study on benefits of niacin, a B vitamin, in keeping arteries open was premature Heart experts at Johns Hopkins are calling premature the early halt of a study by researchers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Washington Hospital Center on the benefits of combining extended-release niacin, a B vitamin, with cholesterol-lowering statin medications to prevent blood vessel narrowing. Researchers mobilizing global resources to test new treatments for severe H1N1 infection An important, ground-breaking initiative is unfolding in the global critical care community in response to the H1N1 pandemic. Widely used cholesterol-lowering drug may prevent progression Simvastatin, a commonly used, cholesterol-lowering drug, may prevent Parkinson's disease from progressing further. Neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center conducted a study examining the use of the FDA-approved medication in mice with Parkinson's disease and found that the drug successfully reverses the biochemical, cellular and anatomical changes caused by the disease. Statins show dramatic drug and cell dependent effects in the brain Besides their tremendous value in treating high cholesterol and lowering the risk of heart disease, statins have also been reported to potentially lower the risks of other diseases, such as dementia. Cholesterol-lowering medicines may be effective against cancer Statins lower cholesterol by blocking certain enzymes involved in our metabolism. Adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin improves lipid control Adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin significantly boosted the attainment of lipid targets as specified by both Canadian and European guidelines in elderly patients aged 65 and older and the combination produced superior results than simply increasing the dose of atorvastatin alone. Use of statins favors the wealthy, creating new social disparities in cholesterol Since the introduction of statins to treat high cholesterol, the decline in lipid levels experienced by the wealthy has been double that experienced by the poor. Women with Atrial Fibrillation Are at Significantly Higher Risk of Stroke and Death Compared to Men and Receive Less Attention Even though the incidence of atrial fibrillation is higher in men than women, a review of past studies and medical literature completed by cardiac experts at Rush University Medical Center shows that women are more likely than men to experience symptomatic attacks, a higher frequency of recurrences, and significantly higher heart rates during atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk of stroke. Pre-hospital organization: The first links in the chain of survival for heart attack patients Mortality rate following a heart attack has fallen by more than 50% in Europe over the past 25 years. However, because only minor advances in the medical treatment of AMI are expected over the next decade, it is through organisational changes in the pre-hospital phase that mortality rate will continue this decline to below 5%. Fatostatin' is a turnoff for fat genes A small molecule earlier found to have both anti-fat and anti-cancer abilities works as a literal turnoff for fat-making genes, according to a new report in the August 28th issue of the journal Chemistry and Biology, a Cell Press journal. More Statins Current Events and Statins News Articles |
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