Crestor Lawsuit and Side
Effect Information

The drug is prescribed for treating high cholesterol. However, a mere few years after its debut it has come under fire due to reports of muscle damage, and recieved a warning from the FDA. Numerous studies conducted about Crestor side effects have produced evidence of health problems in some patients.

Crestor Overview

Crestor (rosuvastatin) falls into the family of drugs known as statins. Statins are used for lowering the blood's triglycerides and "bad" cholesterol, and raising the level of "good" cholesterol in an attempt to ward off blocked arteries and possible heart problems. Some other statins include brand name drugs such as Zocor, Lipitor, Mevacor, and Pravacor.

Crestor is intended to be used along with a low-fat diet and a regular exercise program. It's usually taken once per day with dosages ranging from five to 40 milligrams. According to the manufacturer, the dosage should be modified only after lipid levels in the blood are retested two to four weeks after first starting the drug.

Crestor side effects have not been studied in children under the age of 18. Pregnant women or women who may become pregnant are advised not to use the drug. Those with hypothyroidism, liver problems, who routinely test high for liver enzymes, or who consume large amounts of alcohol should also not use rosuvastatin due to increased risk of adverse side effects.

Crestor Side Effects and the FDA Alert

Two years after Crestor was first approved, the FDA issued an alert in June 2004 stating that patients taking rosuvastatin, along with those taking other statins, reported serious damage to the muscles. This occurred particularly in patients taking the highest available dose at 40 mg per day.

Rhabdomyolysis is a rare but potentially deadly condition in which the muscles are destroyed due to muscle proteins that built up and became trapped within the kidneys. The condition then causes the kidneys to malfunction and be unable to perform their normal process of filtering waste from the blood. During clinical trials of Crestor, seven different people developed rhabdomyolysis causing the manufacturer to recall the original dose of 80 milligrams, reducing it to 40.

Some other serious Crestor side effects included kidney failure in varying degrees that were unrelated to rhabdomyolysis. However, the FDA concluded there is not yet enough substantial evidence to prove the kidney damage did indeed directly arise from the usage of Crestor (or any other type of statin).

Another study revealed to scientists that in certain Asian patients, the amount of rosuvastatin in the blood was double that of Caucasian patients. This lead the manufacturer to amend the label and recommend doctors begin their Asian patients on a dosage at least five milligrams lower than people of other races.

Other Crestor side effects may include abdominal pain, constipation, muscle pain, nausea, and overall weakness or fatigue.

Crestor Lawsuits and Legal News

In 2001, another statin known as Baycol was removed from the market after reports came flooding in of more than 100 deaths from rhabdomyolysis throughout the world. In light of this and the supposed link between Crestor and the condition, Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, called on the FDA to ban the drug from the market in March of 2004.

The director of the group, Dr. Sidney Wolfe, stated that since February of the same year, the Food and Drug Administration received word of eleven new cases of rhabdomyolysis in addition to the fourteen that were already previously known.

By October of 2004, Public Citizen again stated that at least 29 patients developed some type of kidney problem after taking the drug. They also noted that the rate of damage to the kidneys after taking rosuvastatin was about 75 times higher than with all other statins combined.

Today, Crestor lawsuit cases filed by patients who say they suffered severe side effects after taking the drug, which still remains on the market, are ongoing. If you've experienced negative side effects from taking Crestor or any other statin, consider speaking with a dangerous drug attorney about filing a Crestor lawsuit.




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