Achieving 2003 European lipid goals with rosuvastatin and comparator statins in 6743 patients in real-life clinical practice: DISCOVERY meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
There is an increasing body of evidence to support the benefits of reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and this has been reflected in a lowering of LDL-C goals recommended by international guidelines. Therefore, there is a growing need for effective lipid-modifying therapies to optimise the achievement of these more stringent LDL-C goals.


OBJECTIVE
A meta-analysis of data pooled from five studies participating in the DISCOVERY (DIrect Statin COmparison of LDL-C Values: an Evaluation of Rosuvastatin therapY) Programme was performed to compare the effect of rosuvastatin treatment with other statins in real-life clinical practice.


RESULTS
These studies included 6743 patients with hypercholesterolaemia from different ethnicities, countries and cultural environments. The meta-analysis showed that significantly more patients receiving rosuvastatin 10 mg achieved the 2003 European LDL-C goals compared with those who received atorvastatin 10 mg or simvastatin 20 mg (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). A significantly greater proportion of patients receiving rosuvastatin 10 mg also achieved the 2003 European total cholesterol goal compared with those on atorvastatin 10 mg (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The meta-analysis showed that rosuvastatin was more effective than comparator statins at lowering LDL-C levels and enabling patients to achieve lipid goals at recommended start doses. In addition, all statins studied were well tolerated and confirmed that rosuvastatin had a similar safety profile to other statins.
Middleton
A
A
Fowey Surgery, Fowey, Cornwall, UK. alan.middleton@foweydocs.demon.co.uk
Binbrek
A S
AS
Fonseca
F A H
FA
Wilpshaar
W
W
Watkins
C
C
Strandberg
T E
TE
D000368:Aged; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D012922:Social Change; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011758:Pyrroles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D000069059:Atorvastatin