Crestor and Other Statins Found to Have Adverse Side Effects in Some

Crestor, known generically as Rosuvastatin, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in August of 2003 for the treatment of high-cholesterol. Manufactured by AstraZeneca, Crestor reduces cholesterol levels by blocking the liver from producing bad cholesterol (LDL). Only three months after its approval, three patients in the United States who were taking approved doses of rosuvastatin developed Crestor side effects including kidney failure or muscle damage. The Public Citizen filed a petition to the FDA just months after Crestor’s approval in an effort to prevent Crestor from being sold due to concerns over kidney toxicity. In studies before Crestor’s approval, seven people were struck by cases of rhabdomyolysis. Since the original Public Citizen petition was filed with the FDA in early March, the organization said eleven additional cases of muscle damage, ten of them in the United States, and three additional cases of kidney problems have been reported.

Since its approval, this drug has been linked to several cases of Crestor rhabdomyolysis, renal failure and at least one death. In addition to these serious side effects Crestor, other side effects have included sexual dysfunction and performance problems, liver damage, memory loss, personality changes and irritability. In a study published in February 2010, it was indicated there was about a 9% increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes among those who use statins. Another study published in March in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that some statins could increase the risk of diabetes by as much as one-third.

In addition to a possible diabetes risk, all statins have been found to carry a risk of muscle injury, known as myopathy. The muscle damage can lead to a serious and potentially life-threatening condition known as rhabdomyolysis, which can lead to severe kidney damage or kidney failure. All statins currently contain a warning that myopathy and rhabdomyolysis are rare possible side effects. The FDA recently issued a warning that 80mg Zocor doses increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis and other muscle injuries. The warning applied to all drugs that contain rosuvastatin, the active ingredient in Crestor. Those suffering from the side effects of Crestor should contact an experienced Crestor lawyer as soon as possible.