Breakthrough study shows rosuvastatin prolongs lives

I  have known UP-PGH graduate Dr. Emman Arca for a long time, and I knew he was part of AstraZeneca’s Medical Affairs team. Four years ago, I remember discussing with Dr. Arca a statin drug given for cholesterol problems, rosuvastatin.

At that time, I was aware of rosuvastatin (brand name: Crestor), but honestly never prescribed it yet. I told him that I was still waiting for concrete evidence that will convince me that rosuvastatin is as good, if not better than, the current statins on the market, like simvastatin and atorvastatin.

Well, the time has apparently come for me to change my mind, for just this month, the groundbreaking and mind-boggling Jupiter study was released in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. This landmark study included a whopping 17,802 patients from 26 countries, composed of 11,001 men and 6,801 women, and nearly 5,000 non-Americans. AstraZeneca really spent for this study.

Crestor For Healthy Individuals

But what’s truly unique about the Jupiter study is that the patients recruited had normal cholesterol levels and would not qualify for statin treatment based on doctors’ recommendations. However, each participant had elevated levels of hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), which is a new test for inflammation in the body that can cause coronary heart disease.

The study was supposed to last for five years, but researchers suddenly stopped the study after nearly two years because of overwhelmingly positive results. This is because they have already proven, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Crestor can prolong lives, after only two years.

The Jupiter results show that these apparently “healthy” participants had a huge 44-percent decrease in heart attacks, stroke, and deaths from heart disease. Overall death in the Crestor group was reduced by 20 percent, as compared to those taking placebo.

“This is a huge reduction, unprecedented reduction in risk occurring very quickly,” said Ohio Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Steven Nissen.

Moreover, the bad cholesterol was reduced by 50 percent and hs-CRP levels also dropped 37 percent, all astounding numbers. Because of this, some experts have dubbed rosuvastatin as a “super-statin.” Given the results of Jupiter, it is now proven that Crestor is a powerful and life-saving medicine.

Dr. Nelson Abelardo, a past president of the Philippine Society of Hypertension, believes in the effectiveness of C-reactive protein as a marker for heart disease. In fact, some local laboratories, like Hi-Precision Lab, are carrying this test.

As of now, only patients with high cholesterol are given statins. Those with normal cholesterol are still not tested with hs-CRP. But soon, after the full effects of Jupiter are felt by the medical community, doctors will now be sending their patients for hs-CRP testing. This test could be the next in thing in medicine.

It’s a simple blood test, and this is, of course, cheaper than getting hospitalized for a heart attack. According to Harvard University statistician Robert Glynn, an estimated 250,000 heart attacks, strokes, and deaths can be prevented within five years if people with good cholesterol and high hs-CRP are taking Crestor.

In fact, when the study came out, the stock prices of AstraZeneca soared by 15 percent. This means that economic analysts believe that doctors and patients will slowly shift to Crestor from their current medications. The Jupiter study is just one of many studies showing the benefits of Crestor.

‘Cleaning’ The Neck Arteries

In the Meteor study (JAMA, March 28, 2007), lead investigator Dr. John Crouse, professor of endocrinology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina showed that patients given rosuvastatin had slower buildup of cholesterol plaques in the neck arteries compared to patients taking placebo.

So what, you might ask? Well, less plaque in the arteries means less obstruction to blood flow. Thus, possibly saving you from a stroke or heart attack.

Cleaning The Heart Arteries

In this two-year study (Circulation, March 31, 2008), researchers looked at the effect of rosuvastatin in the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries of the heart. Just so you know, blockage of these arteries may lead to an angioplasty or a heart bypass. Again, the results positively showed that rosuvastatin was very effective in reducing fat buildup in the heart arteries. On the average, bad cholesterol was reduced by 53 percent and good cholesterol was increased by 15 percent.

What about price? According to AstraZeneca Medical director Dr. Tom Realiza, they have an existing patient support program that gives a 30-percent discount on Crestor. A tablet of 10 mg. will cost P30 with the discount. And since some Filipino patients can do well with the lower doses, like 5 mg., we can cut the cost further to just P15 per tablet.

With the Jupiter study, I believe doctors should now consider testing their patients with hs-CRP. The lesson is: Even if your cholesterol levels are normal, you’re still not safe. If your hs-CRP level is high, you still can get a heart attack or a stroke. And Crestor can prevent you from getting one.

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E-mail questions to drwillieong@gmail.com.