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Crestor Side Effects

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Crestor has been linked in some reports to an increased risk of diabetes and rhabdoymylosis. These Crestor side effects, which are also found with similar drugs, are potentially serious Concerns about Crestor issues are strong enough that Public Citizen, an independent watchdog organization, called for the drug to be removed from the market in 2004.

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Crestor Issues

Crestor, known generically as rosuvastatin, is used along with diet and exercise to lower high cholesterol. It was approved in the US in August 2003 and is in a class of drugs known as statins.

In October 2012, the FDA announced a change to Crestor's warning label, alerting patients to the risk of immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), an autoimmune myopathy that is associated with statin use. Symptoms of IMNM include proximal muscle weakness and increased serum creatine kinase, both of which can continue after treatment with Crestor has stopped. The FDA notes that this side effect is rare.

In March 2012, the FDA announced a label change to statin drugs including Crestor. The label was changed to alert patients to the risk of side effects and possible drug interactions linked to statin use. The FDA noted there were reports of muscle injury when statins were used with fibrates (cholesterol-lowering drugs), niacin (in large doses), Ranexa (used to treat angina), or Colchicine (used to treat gout).

At the time, the agency further noted that there were reports of rare but serious liver problems in patients who use statins. Symptoms of liver problems include tiredness or weakness, loss of appetite, upper belly pain, and dark-colored urine. Some patients have also experienced an increase in blood sugar levels.

In 2005, Astra-Zeneca Pharmaceuticals changed Crestor's label to reflect the risk of serious muscle toxicity (myopathy/rhabdomyolysis). Although premarketing trials indicated a risk of muscle damage—a side effect seen in other statins—the updated label reflected data from studies indicating that Asian people could be at an increased risk of muscle damage. The new label recommended that Asian patients be started on the 5 mg dose.

According to the FDA, Crestor is associated with a low incidence of rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle damage). The FDA also noted that various forms of kidney failure were reported in patients taking Crestor.

A letter from Public Citizen to the FDA, suggests that the risk of rhabdomyolysis is higher in Crestor than in other statin drugs. According to the letter, written by Sidney Wolfe, then director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group (03/10/05), the risk of rhabdomyolysis linked to Crestor is 6.2 times higher than the rate of all other statins combined. Furthermore, when comparing Crestor to the statin with the lowest rate of rhabdomyolysis, the risk in Crestor is 21.8 times higher.

So far, the FDA has denied Public Citizen's petitions to have Crestor banned.

Rhabdomyolysis is a serious condition in which the muscle fibers are broken down and their contents, called myoglobin, are released into the blood stream. Myoglobin can cause kidney damage.


Statins and Cardiomyopathy

Some statins have reportedly been linked to an increased risk of cardiomyopathy, a serious weakening of the heart muscle or a change in the structure of the heart muscle. Cardiomyopathy is associated with the heart's inability to pump blood adequately and other problems related to the function of the heart.

Crestor Diabetes

On February 28, 2012, the FDA announced that use of statins was associated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus. Although the FDA said the risk is small, some critics argue that studies investigated by the FDA included statins that were not as potent as others. For every 167 people taking Crestor, for example, one person developed diabetes. That's compared with one in every 255 patients treated with a statin overall.

The JUPITER study (Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin) found that in certain patients, the risk for newly developed diabetes increased 25 percent in patients who used Crestor over those who were given a placebo. Meanwhile, a meta-analysis of six statin studies showed the risk of new-onset diabetes increased by about 13 percent when patients were given a statin.

The FDA has not removed Crestor from the market, saying it believes the benefits of statin drugs continue to outweigh the risks.

Statins and Birth Defects

Women who are pregnant are cautioned against using statins because of the risk of adverse effects on the fetus.

Crestor Legal Help

If you or a loved one has suffered damages from Crestor side effects, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to a lawyer who may evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.
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CRESTOR LEGAL ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS

Concern Over Crestor Side Effects Is Old News
Concern Over Crestor Side Effects Is Old News
November 18, 2015
Washington, DC: AstraZeneca, the manufacturer of Crestor, recently released its third-quarter (Q3) results for 2015 during which the company referenced various patent and personal injury lawsuits for the benefit of investors and analysts concerned, as they are, about all aspects of doing business. And a Crestor lawsuit, for a pharmaceutical firm, is simply part of doing business. However, various Crestor side effects have not only been fueling lawsuits, but have also been raising the ire of health advocates for some time. READ MORE

Crestor Lawsuits Still Percolating
Crestor Lawsuits Still Percolating
September 10, 2015
Not 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. READ MORE

Are Statins Linked to Aggression?
Are Statins Linked to Aggression?
July 24, 2015
When people start taking Crestor, they likely watch for some of the reported Crestor side effects that affect them physically. Not many people think to watch for emotional side effects linked to medications. But a recently published study suggests statins may be linked to increased aggression in women. READ MORE

READER COMMENTS

Posted by

on
About seven years ago I developed idiopathic Gastroparesis and I've often wondered if my use of Crestor for years caused this. It is a very debilitating disease and I was wondering if it could've been caused by Crestor.

Posted by

on
I still take this medication per my doctor also having high blood sugar daily
I feel I really need to be off all of my medication something is not going right

Posted by

on
I was prescribed crestor 40 mg after a heart attack and while taking creator I had chest pains and pain in my left arm my doctor told me to keep taking it . I had two more heart attacks while taking creator and a blood clot in my right arm.removed I stoped taking creator in 2012 I haven't had any problems since my second heart attack I was 37 years old I lost everything I had do to the two heart attacks that medication is deadly and should be taken off the market.

Posted by

on
I have been prescribed Crestor, and been on it for 8 years. I been telling my doctor about pain in my knees, and now it is in my hips. It makes it very difficult getting around, and standing up for a period of time. I know my body because I live in it. My doctor even sent me to a specialist, along with getting a bone scan, but it came back negative, However,that's because it's a muscle problem! What do you do when even the doctor doesn't listen? I keep on keeping on, even with the pain, and still take the pills he believes is the best!

Posted by

on
After taking Crestor for two months, I was complaining to my doctor about pain in my muscles and she never took me off the pills. After six months, I decided to take myself off Crestor because I had a hard time walking and going up and down stairs. I am now in pain 24/7. I am forced to take Ibuprofen to relieve some of my pain and I should not be taking Ibuprofen with blood thinners, but there is nothing else I can do.

Posted by

on
Developed Type 2 diabetes after taking Crestor for one year.

Posted by

on
Had open heart surgery or die! This occurred after a battle with Crestor. The blood work continued to show meaty substance in my blood and urine.

Posted by

on
My father has been taking Crestor for roughly seven years and recently has started to show signs of memory loss, dementia and complete loss of muscle/strength in his legs and core. He is also tired all day and night long. I only just now looked up the side effects of Crestor to see that they are identical to my father’s symptoms. He has been to many specialists in the past few months including his GP who prescribed this to him and nobody has told him to stop taking Crestor.

Posted by

on
has anyone had an attack of cholitis, after taking crestor. I believe it caused it and I just could not get my strength back. Finally I stopped taking it, and felt somewhat better but not 100%.

Anyone else have this happen?

Posted by

on
I was diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis in 1997 after being REMOVED, from a double-blind study of Lipitor at UCLA in Los Angeles, due to high CPK. At the time of the diagnosis, it was thought I had acquired Rhabdo from a car accident. I have elevated CPK, severe fatigue from that, and severe joint pain now crippling my ankles, a big factor in my being disabled.

Posted by

on
I am a disabled vet & have used Statin drugs for several years. Do not know the exact time they changed my prescription to Crestor. I take so many pills I made a big push with my Primary Care Doctor to do away with anything not necessary. One whose turn came up was Crestor. I have been on narcotics for pain medication for years including Methadone & Morphine which I stopped as I had a stomach problem most of time I was on it. Used Tramadol for medium pain & worked fairly well without activity that would run up the pain scale & then used Tylenol3/Codeine with 30 mg of codeine. Dose at start was 2 pills every 4 to 6 hours as needed. This was prescribed by my family doctor or VA, whichever I was using at time. The VA problem was getting more severe with age so I started seeing VA almost exclusively. Through the years I never noticed as I rarely looked at medicine bottles & noticed & learned the Tylenol3/codeine prescription was changed to 1 pill every 4 to 6 hours, & then to 1 pill every 6 hours. This was mainly due pressure from noise made about addicts using prescription drugs for recreational use. Nice, people that need it do without so junkies can have what they want, they will get it anyway they want. I have been through 'Pain Clinics' twice & consider them completely worthless. With age pain increased in intensity & duration. Went to Tylenol4/codeine, 60 mg of codeine. Had a discussion with Primary Care Doctor & told her I was going to quit the Crestor on a trial basis as all warnings on Crestor or statin bottles alerted about muscle pain. The result was I still had pain as intense & in same areas, but not nearly as often. A lot of my pain comes with activity, But now on minimum activity days I have some days that are nearly pain free. I have not had that for years. My doctor now has me on Slo Niacin instead of statins. I was really surprised & I would estimate with my limited activity my pain has been reduced 30 to 40 %

Posted by

on
I am now 59 years old and have been on Crestor for a year. I have been in physical therapy because of stiffness and joint pain and even purchased a cane. I am or was very active all my life with a healthy lifestyle and it all started to go downhill. I could not get on and off my bike, found yoga painful, sailing, walking painful, etc. Went to the health food store back in Nov. 2012, and owner told me about association of Crestor and leg pain after my doctor had increased dosage from 5 mg to 10, but I was afraid to go it alone, so just went back to 5 mg. After looking at several sites on the web, I am so angry! I will not touch this statin or any other again.

Posted by

on
I developed type 2 diabetes after two years. I then have developed severe joint and muscle pain. I stopped taking statins in June of 2012 and still have type 2 diabetes and the joint and muscle pain. I have to sleep by taking codeine almost every night. I continue to suffer from taking this drug.

Posted by

on
Muscles aches and pain in legs neck arms etc ,,,

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