BACKGROUNDRosuvastatin has been claimed to be more potent than other statins in its ability to lower the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of rosuvastatin in LDL cholesterol lowering therapy for new or switched hyperlipidaemic Chinese patients.

METHODSThis study was a retrospective one in patients who took rosuvastatin in the outpatient clinics of Prince of Wales Hospital during the period of July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. The prescribing pattern, the utilization pattern and the side effect profile were recorded. Attainment of lipid goals for each patient was assessed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP ATP) III guidelines.

RESULTSA total of 261 Chinese patients (mean age (64.8 +/- 12) years; 55.6% male) were recruited into the study. The mean LDL-cholesterol level was (3.50 +/- 1.29) mmol/L prior to Rosuvastatin and (2.30 +/- 1.73) mmol/L after Rosuvastatin treatment (P < 0.0001). Rosuvastatin raised the LDL-cholesterol goal achievement rate from 28.0% to 74.3% in all patients combined (P < 0.0001) and from 11.0% to 79.0% for statin naive patients (P < 0.0001). Approximately 4% of patients developed side effects including myalgia, elevated liver enzymes, and dizziness.

CONCLUSIONRosuvastatin was effective in improving LDL-cholesterol goal attainment and lowering LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) levels in either newly started or switched patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Female ; Fluorobenzenes ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyrimidines ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Rosuvastatin Calcium ; Sulfonamides ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

This paper presents a case of reversible dysphasia occurring in a patient prescribed atorvastatin in combination with indapamide. A milder dysphasia recurred with the prescription of rosuvastatin and was documented on clinical examination. This resolved following cessation of rosuvastatin. The case highlights both a need for a wider understanding of potential drug interactions through the CYP 450 system and for an increased awareness, questioning and reporting of drug side-effects.
Anticholesteremic Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use ; Anxiety/diagnosis ; Aphasia/diagnosis/*etiology ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/metabolism ; Depression/diagnosis ; Drug Interactions ; Female ; Fluorobenzenes/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Heptanoic Acids/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia/drug therapy ; Indapamide/therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Pyrimidines/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Pyrroles/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Sulfonamides/adverse effects/*therapeutic use

OBJECTIVESThis study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin on treating Chinese patients with hypercholesterolemia.

METHODSThis randomized double-blind multi-center study enrolled the patients with LDL-C > or = 160 mg/dL but < 250 mg/dL and TG < 400 mg/dL after six-week dietary run-in. Patients were randomized to receive either rosuvastatin 10 mg/d (R) or atorvastatin (A) 10 mg/d in 2:1 ratio for 12 weeks. Patients with LDL-C levels not reaching goal defined by ATP III guideline in R group were titrated to 20 mg for additional 8 weeks.

RESULTSAltogether, 304 patients were included in the study, 201 patients in R group and 103 in A group. The ITT population is 290 and PP is 263. The LDL-C level decreased after 12 weeks in R group than that in A group, (45.6% vs 39.0%, P < 0.001). The rate reaching the target level defined by ATP III in R group tended to be higher than that in A group (78.0% vs 72.7%), especially in patients with high risk (56.5% vs 35%), however the difference did not reach statistical significance. The magnitudes of TG reduction (-22.8%), HDL-C (+6.6%) and ApoA-1 increase (+12.5%) in R group had no significant difference compared to those in A group (-16.6%, +4.3% and +9.8%, respectively). 29 patients were titrated to receive 20 mg of rosuvastatin. 10 of 22 patients reached the LDL-C target. There were no drug related SAE found during the study.

CONCLUSIONSThe efficacy of rosuvastatin in reducing LDL-C is more effective than atorvastatin in the same dose, however, the safety data is similar between them in the period of 3-month follow-up.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Fluorobenzenes ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; drug therapy ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyrimidines ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use ; Rosuvastatin Calcium ; Sulfonamides ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDCurrent randomized trials have demonstrated the effects of short-term rosuvastatin therapy in preventing contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI). However, the consistency of these effects on patients administered different volumes of contrast media is unknown.

METHODSIn the TRACK-D trial, 2998 patients with type 2 diabetes and concomitant chronic kidney disease (CKD) who underwent coronary/peripheral arterial angiography with or without percutaneous intervention were randomized to short-term (2 days before and 3 days after procedure) rosuvastatin therapy or standard-of-care. This prespecified analysis compared the effects of rosuvastatin versus standard therapy in patients exposed to (moderate contrast volume [MCV], 200-300 ml, n = 712) or (high contrast volume [HCV], ≥ 300 ml, n = 220). The primary outcome was the incidence of CIAKI. The secondary outcome was a composite of death, dialysis/hemofiltration or worsened heart failure at 30 days.

RESULTSRosuvastatin treatment was associated with a significant reduction in CIAKI compared with the controls (2.1% vs. 4.4%, P = 0.050) in the overall cohort and in patients with MCV (1.7% vs. 4.5%, P = 0.029), whereas no benefit was observed in patients with HCV (3.4% vs. 3.9%, P = 0.834). The incidence of secondary outcomes was significantly lower in the rosuvastatin group compared with control group (2.7% vs. 5.3%, P = 0.049) in the overall cohort, but it was similar between the patients with MCV (2.0% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.081) or HCV (5.1% vs. 8.8%, P = 0.273).

CONCLUSIONSPeriprocedural short-term rosuvastatin treatment is effective in reducing CIAKI and adverse clinical events for patients with diabetes and CKD after their exposure to a moderate volume of contrast medium.

Acute Kidney Injury ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Aged ; Contrast Media ; adverse effects ; Female ; Fluorobenzenes ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyrimidines ; therapeutic use ; Rosuvastatin Calcium ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome