Crestor, the brand name for rosuvastatin, is a prescription drug approved for use in the US in 2003 for its cholesterol lowering properties. The drug is manufactured by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. Paired with exercise and healthy eating, Crestor significantly lowers some patients’ levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides (fat-like substances) in the blood. This reduces the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular (CV) events caused by clogs and impaired flow in the blood. Crestor works by blocking an enzyme the body uses to make cholesterol through an inhibitor called a HMG-CoA (for short) inhibitor. It is one of a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs called “statins”.

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Crestor is associated with certain serious side effects – primarily potentially fatal, muscle damage that can lead to kidney damage. The drug maker’s original 2001 application for FDA approval was delayed following reports of kidney damage and muscle weakness. It was approved in 2003, but only in doses not exceeding 40 milligrams. Since its approval, the drug has been associated with cases of rhabdomyolsis, renal failure, and a death. In March 2005, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory for Crestor and required a new label recommending a lower starting dose of Crestor in some patients, including Asians. The FDA also determined that there is not enough evidence to conclude that kidney damage is a direct result of Crestor therapy. At the time of this article, the drug remains on the market shelves.

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