FDA Approves Drug That Lowers Cholesterol
From Times Wire Reports
The Food and Drug Administration approved the cholesterol-lowering drug called Crestor after long debate about the risk of side effects.
Made by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Crestor, a statin, comes with a warning about taking higher-than-recommended doses, which have contributed to rare cases of a potentially fatal, muscle-destroying condition called rhabdomyolysis.
Because seven cases occurred during studies of an 80-milligram dose, the FDA only approved a highest dose of 40 mg -- and recommends starting doses as low as 5 or 10 mg.
