Statins like Crestor were found to reduce the risk of a heart attack or second stroke in young people who took them after suffering an ischemic stroke of unknown cause. The risk was lower even in those people who didn’t have high cholesterol. If Crestor is now prescribed to more people at a younger age, might the number of those suffering from Crestor side effects like muscle injury, rhabdomyolysis, and cardiomyopathy increase? Will this affect the number of people wanting to file a future Crestor lawsuit?

Crestor news: details of the study

Researchers examined data for over 200 patients aged 15 to 49 years between 1994 and 2007. All of the patients had experienced an ischemic stroke—a blood clot that blocks blood vessels leading to the brain—but they didn’t know what had caused it. Over the nine-year period, one-third took a statin sometime after their stroke, with the majority taking simvastatin (Zocor). Crestor, rosuvastatin, is a similar statin, but reputed to be stronger—it lowers LDL “bad” cholesterol more than simvastatin.

After adjusting for other risk factors, researchers found that those study participants who took statin, even if they were no longer taking it, had a 77 percent reduced risk of future heart attack or stroke. The authors concluded that because of the benefits, statin therapy should be considered by doctors for those who suffer an ischemic stroke of unknown cause, regardless of LDL cholesterol or triglyceride levels.

Crestor already received approval for broader application

In February 2010, the FDA approved the use of Crestor for use in people who have not been diagnosed with heart disease, but who have one or more risk factors for it, like smoking or high blood pressure. That recommendation came about as a result of the JUPITER trial, which showed that those taking Crestor were about 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke.

Long-term Crestor side effects unknown

What’s missing from both of these recommendations are any large, long-term clinical trials showing the possible ramifications of prescribing Crestor to a younger population who, rather than having high cholesterol levels, have other risk factors for heart disease. Crestor is the most powerful statin on the market today, and so far no one seems to know what the long-term Crestor side effects might be.

Many have already filed a Crestor lawsuit because of one of many Crestor side effects, including muscle injury (myopathy), rhabdomyolysis, kidney damage, kidney failure, and cardiomyopathy. Recent studies illuminated the potential for Crestor diabetes, as well. The FDA warned in 2005 of the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis, and required the addition of diabetes to the list of product warnings.

Future Crestor lawsuits on the horizon?

The FDA approved Crestor for use in 2003. Many healthcare providers believe there just hasn’t been enough time to conduct adequate tests on long-term use. Though statins have a good reputation overall for helping to reduce risk of fatal cardiovascular events, the public deserves to be made aware of the risks for serious and often devastating Crestor side effects. Waiting until after the fact, when injured parties are cornered into filing a Crestor lawsuit, is not the way to protect public safety.