title: Daily and intermittent rosuvastatin 5 mg therapy in statin intolerant patients: an observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the efficacy and tolerability of rosuvastatin 5 mg at daily and non-daily dosing regimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective survey was conducted at nine primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare centres in the United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in lipid fractions from baseline values after more than 3 months' treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 325 patients were identified. These patients were aged 63 ± 10 years, 50% male and prescription was mostly for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) (59%). Co-morbidities included: established CVD present in 41%, type 2 diabetes mellitus (15%), hypertension (74%) and smoking (9%). Adverse effects had been documented to simvastatin (75%) or atorvastatin (63%). A total of 289 patients (89%) tolerated rosuvastatin well and were still adherent after a median follow-up of 14.9 (3-79) months. The remainder (n = 36; 11%) discontinued the medication after median 5 months' treatment due to adverse effects. Efficacy was assessed in 224 patients who had adequate data. Baseline lipids were total cholesterol (TC) 7.41 ± 1.50 mmol/L, triglycerides (TG) 2.26 (range 0.36-18.4) mmol/L; high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) 1.43 ± 0.47 mmol/L and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 4.76 ± 1.38 mmol/L. Daily rosuvastatin (n = 134) reduced mean TC by 31%, TG 15% and LDL-C 43% (p < 0.001). Rosuvastatin 5 mg 2-3 times weekly (n = 79) reduced TC 26%, TG 16% and LDL-C 32% (p < 0.001). Weekly rosuvastatin (n = 11) reduced TC 17%, LDL-C by 23% (p < 0.001) but had no effect on TGs. Targets were attained in 17% of CHD-risk equivalent patients and 41% of primary prevention patients by National Cholesterol Education Program criteria and 27% and 68% using UK targets. No myositis or rhabdomyolysis was observed and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and creatine kinase (CK) were similar to baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this retrospective observational multicentre study, rosuvastatin 5 mg was found to be safe and biochemically effective either as daily or intermittent therapy in patients intolerant to other conventional statin regimens.
authors.affiliation: East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Lister Hospital, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meek
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Wierzbicki
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jewkes
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Twomey
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Crook
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Adie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Viljoen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015897:Comorbidity; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006973:Hypertension; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014280:Triglycerides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D002784:Cholesterol; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003402:Creatine Kinase