Crestor Lawsuits Still Percolating

Los Angeles, CANot that Americans could be accused of popping any medication like candy. But there are times when consumers have become so desensitized to medications, that popping a pill such as an aspirin or a statin to rein in bad cholesterol is rarely given a second thought. However, with statins, and specifically Crestor, a second thought might be warranted with regard to Crestor side effects.

The most common Crestor issues are minor, such as muscle aches and joint pain. Advocates point out that a bit of discomfort in exchange for lowering the potential for a cardiovascular issue due to high levels of LDL cholesterol is a small price to pay for better health overall and a longer life.

But then there are the more serious Crestor issues, many of which have prompted many a Crestor lawsuit. There’s Crestor diabetes, which has been known to appear in Crestor patients without any history or risk factor for diabetes. There is Crestor rhabdomyolysis, a rare but potentially disastrous condition characterized by the breaking down of muscle fibers that are then absorbed into the bloodstream.

Then there is immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), an autoimmune myopathy that is associated with statin use. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notes that like Crestor rhabdomyolysis, IMNM is also rare - but still worthy of a label update, which the FDA mandated in October of 2012.

See Video on Risks Associated with Statins

Statins such as Crestor have long since been proven to help lower levels of so-called “bad” LDL cholesterol thought to increase the prevalence of artery-clogging plagues. The FDA and the medical community have consistently viewed the safety profile of statins favorably, noting that the benefits outweigh the risks for the intended patients. However, statins, and Crestor in particular, have their critics. In 2004, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen petitioned to have Crestor banned from the market. In 2015, its view hasn’t changed, and it’s still waiting.

Of concern to critics of statins in general is the prevailing view of the medical community that statins should be used as preventative therapy for anyone over 50 - not just as treatment for Americans who exhibit the requisite risk factors for cardiovascular issues triggered from high levels of LDL cholesterol. The change could dramatically increase stain use, which in turn could exacerbate issues such as Crestor side effects.

The manufacturer of Crestor, AstraZeneca PLC, noted in its Form 20-F filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) back in March that as of the end of 2014 there were no fewer than 707 plaintiffs with claims pending in California state court, with two additional claims pending in the Eastern District of Kentucky. In their Crestor lawsuits, plaintiffs allege the gamut in terms of Crestor issues, including diabetes mellitus, various cardiac injuries, rhabdomyolysis, and/or liver and kidney injuries allegedly related to Crestor side effects.