The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7243 p468
5 April 2003

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Congress summary  April 12    April 5

Related websites
American College of Cardiology congress (more)
Journal of the American College of Cardiology (www.cardiosource.com)

Rosuvastatin beats other statins head-to-head

Treatment with rosuvastatin (Crestor) gives greater reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared with three other statins in a parallel head-to-head trial.

Data from the trial, which used the acronym STELLAR, were presented at the American College of Cardiology congress in Chicago this week. The trial involved 2,431 patients who were randomised to 15 parallel arms using rosuvastatin (10, 20, 40 or 80mg), atorvastatin (Lipitor, 10, 20, 40 or 80mg), simvastatin (Zocor, 10, 20, 40 or 80mg) or pravastatin (Lipostat, 10, 20 or 40mg). LDL-C levels were reduced in the rosuvastatin group by 46 per cent (10mg dose), 52 per cent (20mg), 55 per cent (40mg) and 58 per cent (80mg), each of which was significantly more (P<0.002) than the equivalent doses of the other products. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were consistently raised by rosuvastatin (Journal of American College of Cardiology 2003;41[Suppl A]:315A).

Rosuvastatin was launched in the United Kingdom last week (PJ, 29 March, p427).

The Pharmaceutical Journal attended the American College of Cardiology congress courtesy of Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals