- Rosuvastatin (Crestor(TM)) is a new synthetic agent for the treatment and prevention of lipid disorders, a risk factor for coronary heart disease.
- Rosuvastatin is undergoing phase III clinical trials. A New Drug Application was submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June, 2001. No information on the regulatory status in Canada is currently available.
- Limited evidence from small clinical trials suggests that rosuvastatin may produce larger dose-dependent decreases in total cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemic patients compared to other statins. There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the safety of rosuvastatin.
- The impact of rosuvastatin therapy on cardiac morbidity and mortality is not known. More experience is required to determine the effectiveness and relative benefits of this new drug.