FDA asks for Crestor ad to be stopped

Main Category: Cholesterol
Article Date: 23 Dec 2004 - 17:00 PDT

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The FDA has asked makers of Crestor to stop publishing an ad aimed at patients. The FDA sent a letter to Astra Zeneca on 21st December saying it was concerned that the ad may play down the risks associated with Crestor.

A spokesperson for AstraZeneca said the ad was a one off. He added that the ad is no longer being published anyway. He insisted Crestor is as safe as any other statin.

What is Crestor ™ ?

Crestor contains the medicine rosuvastatin, which belongs to a group of medicines known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, or 'statins'.

What is Crestor ™ used for?

Crestor is used to modify abnormal levels of fatty substances in the blood called lipids, mainly high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Crestor is used in combination with a diet plan when changes to diet and exercise alone have failed to lower high cholesterol and triglycerides.

How does Crestor ™ work?

Rosuvastatin belongs to a group of medicines known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, or 'statins'.

-- HMG-CoA reductase is an enzyme (chemical) in the body which converts 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A to mevalonate, which is then converted to cholesterol.

-- By inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, Crestor reduces the total amount of cholesterol produced by the body.

-- There are 2 types of cholesterol in the blood, LDL-cholesterol ("Bad Cholesterol") and HDL-cholesterol ("Good cholesterol")

-- By inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, Crestor results in lower levels of ("Bad") LDL-cholesterol and reduces triglycerides in the blood.

CRESTOR also leads to increased levels of ("Good") HDL-cholesterol in the blood.

How is Crestor ™ given?

Crestor is available as a once a day tablet which may be given at any time of day and can be taken with or without food.