An evaluation of rosuvastatin: pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy and tolerability.
BACKGROUND
The HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors (statins) are the most efficacious agents for lowering cholesterol. Statins reduce clinical cardiovascular events and are generally well tolerated.


OBJECTIVE
To review the efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin, the newest and most potent of the approved statins.


METHODS
A comprehensive (PubMed) search was performed to identify relevant publications up to May 2007.


CONCLUSIONS
Rosuvastatin reduces LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) by up to 50%, and by 70% when combined with ezetimibe. Rosuvastatin also reduces plasma triglycerides and increases HDL-C, and slows atherosclerosis progression in coronary and carotid arteries in both low-risk and high-risk individuals. Tolerability is comparable with other statins. Clinical trials to evaluate cardiovascular outcomes have recently been published (CORONA) or are underway.
Crouse
John R
JR
Professor of Medicine and Public Health Sciences Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston Salem, NC 27157, USA. jrcrouse@wfubmc.edu
D000042:Absorption; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A / Q000502:physiology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D027381:Liver-Specific Organic Anion Transporter 1 / Q000502:physiology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D027381:Liver-Specific Organic Anion Transporter 1; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; C510163:CYP3A4 protein, human