title: Rosuvastatin and cardiovascular disease: did the strongest statin hold the initial promises?
abstract: Rosuvastatin is the latest and most potent statin currently on the market. It has the greatest efficacy compared with all other available statins on total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction, and also provides a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) better than atorvastatin. Imaging studies showed a regression of atheroma in secondary prevention patients using an intravascular ultrasound technique and a hold of progression in primary prevention patients using carotid intima-media thickness as a surrogate marker. The JUPITER trial, a primary prevention large-scale, prospective study to examine the role of statin therapy in individuals with raised C-reactive protein but normal LDL-C levels, was recently terminated early due to a significant reduction of events in the rosuvastatin group. Rosuvastatin has held its initial promises as a very potent statin, with favourable effects on HDL, showing a regression or a halt of the atherosclerotic burden and reducing cardiovascular events in low-risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis Outpatient Clinic, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle's University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. a_efthimiadis@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Efthimiadis
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D002784:Cholesterol