Crestor Side Effects Claims Lawyers
By the time Crestor was approved by the FDA in 2003, there had already been reports of seven cases of serious side effects during pre-approval drug trials. Since its approval, one patient has died as a result of her reaction to the drug, and others have reported serious problems.
Crestor is the name used by drug company AstraZeneca to market the drug rosuvastatin. Designed to reduce cholesterol levels in patients suffering from dangerous cholesterol levels, Crestor has been shown in many studies to be less effective than other statins—or cholesterol reducing drugs—while having a greater incidence of serious side effects.
As a result of these disturbing findings, to of the largest US health insurers have left Crestor off their lists of recommended drugs, and the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen has called for its withdrawal from the market.
Questions About Crestor’s Effectiveness
Every drug carries with it certain dangers and potential side-effects. During the FDA approval process, these risks should be weighed in light of the drug’s intended and actual benefits.
In this case, Crestor, a drug categorized as a statin drug, has proven effective in reducing dangerous and uncontrolled cholesterol levels, but far less effective than many other statins in reducing other dangerous health risks such as heart disease. The statins lovastatin, pravastatin, and simvastatin have shown to be beneficial in preventing heart attacks and strokes, while Crestor has not.
In fact, Crestor has been shown in studies to actually increase the incidence of heart problems in patients taking the drug, rather than reducing it.
Crestor’s Side Effects
Crestor has a host of known damaging side effects, and some of the most serious of these are not even included on the warning label or on AstraZeneca’s Crestor website.
Among the known side effects of Crestor are:
- Rhabdomyolysis, a severe type of muscle damage
- Kidney (renal) failure
- Heart attack
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Arthritis
- Hypertension
The condition rhabdomyolysis is responsible for some of the other side effects such as kidney failure and heart attack, due to the way it damages muscles, causing serious and potentially fatal organ failure.
In studies, those prescribed Crestor have reported approximately 75 times as many cases of kidney damage than patients taking other, similar statin drugs.
Despite these severe and sometimes fatal side effects, Crestor continues not only to be prescribed, but to be actively marketed through consumer-directed television, print, and other media advertising.
What To Do If You’ve Suffered From Serious Side Effects of Crestor
If you or someone you love was prescribed Crestor and subsequently developed rhabdomyolysis, renal failure, kidney disease, heart problems, or other conditions associated with Crestor use, it is important that you seek both medical and legal help as soon as you can.
Many of Crestor’s effects can result in long-term and permanent damage to your health, and some can even be fatal. If you and your family are currently suffering from the physical, financial, and emotional effects of the serious side effects of Crestor, you deserve compensation from the drug company that chose to market a drug they knew was dangerous.
Your first step in pursuing the compensation you and your family deserve is to consult with a pharmaceutical injury attorney in your area (see map below) who has experience dealing with medical cases and with drug company litigation. He or she will evaluate your case and discuss your options with you.
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