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FDA Revises Label Notes For Rosuvastatin
Mar 3, 2005, 16:06, Reviewed by: Dr.
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The revised labeling notes that this may be particularly important for treating Asian American patients, since clinical trial data suggest that they (along with patients on cyclosporine or patients with severe renal insufficiency) may have higher drug levels and therefore be at greater risk for muscle injury due to Rosuvastatin than the general population.
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By Akanksha, Pharmacology Correspondent,
In order to provide us with earliest access to emerging safety information about medicines, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued a public health advisory, a patient information sheet and a corresponding healthcare professional information sheet further explaining the identified risks and benefits of Crestor (Rosuvastatin calcium), a cholesterol-lowering drug.
"The FDA is committed to providing Americans with the latest and most comprehensive information on the medicines they use," said Dr. Steven Galson, Acting Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). "Today's FDA advisory on Rosuvastatin is part of an ongoing effort to notify the public of potentially significant emerging safety data so that they can make more informed choices about their medical care."
FDA has provided up-to-date information about the risk of rhabdomyolysis (serious muscle damage) in patients taking Rosuvastatin as well as other statin drugs. This is a well-known, rare adverse effect of all statins.
Extensive review of the large amount of data available to date from controlled trials as well as the latest post-marketing safety information indicates that patients taking recommended doses of Rosuvastatin have a similar risk of rhabdomyolysis as patients on other statin cholesterol treatments.
In addition, Rosuvastatin's manufacturer Astra-Zeneca Pharmaceuticals today revised the package insert for Rosuvastatin, based on discussions with the FDA.
These changes re-emphasize recommendations made in the original label about the need for physicians to consider using lower starting doses of the drug in some individuals as a means of reducing the risk of rhabdomyolysis.
The revised labeling notes that this may be particularly important for treating Asian American patients, since clinical trial data suggest that they (along with patients on cyclosporine or patients with severe renal insufficiency) may have higher drug levels and therefore be at greater risk for muscle injury due to Rosuvastatin than the general population.
Kidney failure of various types has also been reported in patients treated with Rosuvastatin, as well as other statins.
However, patients who are candidates for statin therapy (e.g., patients with diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and/or heart failure) also may be at higher risk for kidney failure even when they are not prescribed statin therapy.
Based on FDAs review of these cases and the available data from controlled trials, FDA cannot confirm that recommended doses of statins, including Rosuvastatin, can cause or worsen kidney failure.
Overall, the agency believes that potential benefits of statin drugs (including Rosuvastatin) when used as labeled and indicated for the treatment of elevated cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) outweigh their potential risks and provide an important treatment option for millions of Americans at risk of heart disease.
FDA will continue to carefully evaluate the scientific data on Rosuvastatin and the other statin drugs and, when appropriate, modify the drug label(s) in a timely fashion. 
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA's Public Health Advisory
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