Crestor death

(Zee) said:

Fall 2003 citizen.orgrelease.cfmOpen ↗ "Sept. 16, 2003

Public Citizen Warns Against New Statin Drug Crestor Cholesterol Drug Potentially More Dangerous
Than Baycol; FDA Should Not Have Allowed on Market

Today:

from BMJ: November 5 2003

"As a GP practicing in the UK, it would have been difficult to avoid the marketing hype of "Crestor"
and have personally attended a number of educational seminars conducted by local Cardiologists and
Chemical Pathologists advocating the use of this statin. Comparison data against atorvastatin was
impressive and I began using it in my clinical practice.

I have been very impressed with the resulting favourable lipid profiles of my patients and have
gained target lipid levels without exception at the starting 10mg dose. In addition, patients
previously treated suboptimally with higher dose atorvastatin or simvastatin 40mg, have enjoyed
similar normalisation of their lipid profiles. I now use rosuvastatin as my first choice statin, and
have encountered no adverse reactions or liver function test derangements or
haematuria/proteinuria."

Dr Grant Dex, GP Principal Nottingham, UK NG9 6AH

I started on 10mg Crestor last week. I have borerline high
LDL of 132mg/dl and a 3.95 ratio LDL/HDL. I have been off
Lipitor for a year to see what would happen as far as my
levels go and they returned to these levels, about what they
were before I started on Lipitor.

I am 52, have borderline high blood pressure and take
Altace 10mg for that as well. I am sitting on the fence as
far has whether or not I am high risk or not and have
decided with my physicians to be conservative and follow
high risk protocol. The reason for this is that after a
cranial CAT scan done about 3 years ago (headaches) I was
surprised to be told that the scan showed I may have
sufered from a stroke (more than 1 year old). I had no
symptoms. Headaches were not resulting from this though,
probably type of migrane.

After a million tests and being followed by a neurologist,
an MRI determined that the space (from the ischemia shown on
the CAT) was something called a Virchow-Robin's Space and
was not considered to be a stroke, just a congenital brain
formation that shows as a space but is not a threat.

But the neurologist said that I should be treated more
carefully, in case the MRI diagnosis was wrong and the
CAT scan was right, in other words, probably not a
stroke, but maybe.

Hence my treatment of borderline hypertension and lipids.

My family doctor suggested Crestor. He takes it himself and
he's a super fit guy, has genetic heart disease in the
family and very high cholesterol levels.

I really wanted 5mg since my LDL was not that high and
my HDL is not bad 53mg/dl, but here in Canada Crestor
only comes in 10mg as the lowest dose whereas in the US
it is 5mg.

Just thought I would share.

"George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I started on 10mg Crestor last week. I have borerline high
LDL of 132mg/dl and a 3.95 ratio LDL/HDL. I have been off
Lipitor for a year to see what would happen as far as my
levels go and they returned to these levels, about what
they were before I started on Lipitor.

I am 52, have borderline high blood pressure and take
Altace 10mg for that as well. I am sitting on the fence as
far has whether or not I am high risk or not and have
decided with my physicians to be conservative and follow
high risk protocol. The reason for this is that after a
cranial CAT scan done about 3 years ago (headaches) I was
surprised to be told that the scan showed I may have
sufered from a stroke (more than 1 year old). I had no
symptoms. Headaches were not resulting from this though,
probably type of migrane.

After a million tests and being followed by a neurologist,
an MRI determined that the space (from the ischemia shown
on the CAT) was something called a Virchow-Robin's Space
and was not considered to be a stroke, just a congenital
brain formation that shows as a space but is not a threat.

But the neurologist said that I should be treated more
carefully, in case the MRI diagnosis was wrong and the
CAT scan was right, in other words, probably not a
stroke, but maybe.

Hence my treatment of borderline hypertension and lipids.

My family doctor suggested Crestor. He takes it himself
and he's a super fit guy, has genetic heart disease in the
family and very high cholesterol levels.

I really wanted 5mg since my LDL was not that high and
my HDL is not bad 53mg/dl, but here in Canada Crestor
only comes in 10mg as the lowest dose whereas in the US
it is 5mg.

Just thought I would share.

I assume you have tried diet and exercise. Exercise, in
particular, helped me a lot.

I routinely cut Lipitor pills in half with a pill cutter. If
it works, this would not only give you the amount you want
but save you money. With Lipitor they are not scored so you
may end up with a little bit more or less in one part, but
with this drug I don't think that matters much - the little
bit you miss on one day you make up on the next. It did not
take much practice to be able to do this reasonably.

Bill

Yes I thought about cutting the pill. It's Crestor not
Lipitor. I was on Lipitor 2 years ago. Crestor is not scored
either. Where do you get a pill cutter and what is it?

My sister who is a doctor said not all pills can be cut,
because it alters their efficacy. Not all pills are like
this. Was also thinking about taking the dose every other
day. Crestor and Lipitor have rtelatively long half lives
compared to Zocor and others.

My family doctor said to go 3 months on Crestor, get tested,
and then try playing around with dosages.

Fitness is not an issue with me. Weight is negligable, maybe
10 pounds at best, however I have maintained the weight I am
now for many years. In summer I drop maybe 5 pounds usually.

My cardiologist has written my family doctor saying that
even if my LDL was normal or below he would want me on a
Statin regardless by the time I am 55. Again this is because
of the uncertainty surrounding my CAT/MRI.

"George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Yes I thought about cutting the pill. It's Crestor
not Lipitor. I was on Lipitor 2 years ago. Crestor is
not scored either. Where do you get a pill cutter and
what is it?

My sister who is a doctor said not all pills can be cut,
because it alters their efficacy. Not all pills are like
this. Was also thinking about taking the dose every other
day. Crestor and Lipitor have rtelatively long half lives
compared to Zocor and others.

My family doctor said to go 3 months on Crestor, get
tested, and then try playing around with dosages.

Fitness is not an issue with me. Weight is negligable,
maybe 10 pounds at best, however I have maintained the
weight I am now for many years. In summer I drop maybe 5
pounds usually.

My cardiologist has written my family doctor saying that
even if my LDL was normal or below he would want me on a
Statin regardless by the time I am 55. Again this is
because of the uncertainty surrounding my CAT/MRI.

If you have started down the 3 month road you might want to
just continue that rather than going back to the Dr. and
develop a new plan. Your sister is right about some pills -
for the most part those that come in capsules, those that
are time released, or those in which the exact dosage is
important should not be cut. For Lipitor, I don't think it
is a problem. Ask your Dr. about Crestor. The every other
day thing may work too.

I got my pill cutter at the local drug store for about $4.
It is sort of a plastic half sphere with a flat top and a
strong razor blade in the middle. You put the pill on the
table, line up the razor blade so it is across the middle,
and push down. The pill usually breaks into about equal
parts and the plastic keeps things from flying. I've also
seen others with a lever and a cutting part that looks like
a guillotine.

Bill