Risk Reduction And Potential Of Statins Treating Patients With Inflammation May Lead To LongerLife (NAPSA)—Foryears, physicians have relied on cholesterol as a key indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. Recent research, however, suggests that even people with normal cholesterol levels may also be at risk becauseof inflammation in the blood-vessel walls, as deter- minedby increasedlevels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein or CRP. Inflammation can lead to fatty buildup and subse- quent plaque formation in the arteries, which can become unstable, break off and trigger a heart attack or stroke. Onestudy, called JUPITER (Justification for the Use of statins in Primary prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin), is ongoing andwill provide physicians with important answers when it comesto treating patients with nor- malto low cholesterol levels but ele- vated CRP. JUPITER will investigate the effect of the AstraZeneca cholesterol-lowering drug, CRESTOR (rosuvastatin calcium), in the primary prevention of cardiovascular events in this patient population. The study, led by Paul Ridker, MD, MPH,Director of the Center of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, is currently being conducted among 15,000 men and women. The results are especially anticipated following the release of updated recommendations last year by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urging physicians to con- sider CRP testing as a useful tool for evaluating patients with moderate risk for heart disease. “Our main goal as physicians is to provide patients with the best possible care,” says Dr. Ridker. “Recognizing the potential importance of CRP levels to determine cardiovascular disease risk may enable physicians to better diagnose and treat patients who may Information About C-Reactive Protein Twenty-five million Americans are estimated to have normalto low cholesterol levels and elevated CRPlevels. Juprrer will enable physicians to evaluate the potential importance of statins in the reduction of cardiovascular events in patients with elevated CRP and normal to low @ cholesterollevels. otherwise have been overlooked, potentially resulting in a devas- tating outcome. “We hope JUPITER will demonstrate the protective benefits of rosuvastatin by reducing major car- diovascular events in this popula- tion,” added Dr. Ridker. “We will then conclusively be able to evalu- ate the importanceof statin therapy for patients with normal to low cholesterol and better understand CRP as a possible independent indicator for cardiovascular disease.” According to the AHA,cardiovas- cular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming onelife every 34 seconds. And of the over 70 million Americans with one or more types of cardiovascular disease, over 27 million areestimated to be age 65 andolder. About CRESTOR CRESTOR (rosuvastatin calcium) therapy with 5 mg once daily may be considered for patients requir- ing less aggressive LDL-C reductions or who have predisposing factors for myopathy. For patients with marked hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C >190 mg/dL) and aggressive lipid targets, a 20- mg starting dose may be consid- ered. The 40-mg dose of CRESTOR should be reserved for those patients who have not achieved LDL-C goal at 20 mg. AstraZeneca licensed worldwide rights to CRESTOR from the Japanese phar- maceutical company Shionogi & Co., Ltd. Important Safety Information CRESTOR is contraindicated in patients with active liver disease or unexplained persistent elevations of serum transaminases, in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and in nursing mothers. It is recommended that liver func- tion tests be performed before and at 12 weeksfollowing both theinitiation of therapy and any elevation of dose, and periodically (e.g., semiannually) thereafter. Rare cases of rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure secondary to myoglobinuria have been reported with CRESTOR and with other drugs in this class. Crestor should be prescribed with caution in patients with predisposing factors for myopathy, such as renal impairment. Patients should is a once-daily prescription medication for use as an adjunct to diet in the treatment of various lipid disorders including primary hypercholesterolemia, mixed dyslipidemia and isolated hypertriglyceridemia. It is a member of be advised to promptly report unex- inhibitors) class of drug therapy. related to CRESTOR were myalgia (3.3%), constipation (1.4%), asthenia (1.38%), abdominal pain (1.3%) the statin (HMG-CoA reductase CRESTOR has not been determined to prevent heart disease, heart attacks or strokes. For patients with hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia, the usual rec- ommended starting dose of CRESTOR is 10 mg. Initiation of plained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, particularly if accompa- nied by malaise or fever. CRESTORis generally well tolerated. Adverse reactions have usually been mild and transient. The most frequent adverse events thought to be and nausea (1.3%). For more information or to volunteer for the JUPITER trial, please log on to www.jupiterstudy.com or call 1-888-660-8254.
