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Important Crestor® Update: Data has linked a deficiency of Coenzyme Q10 (also called CoQ10) in patients to heart problems and heart failure. Crestor® (rosuvastatin) and other drugs in its class (statins) are known to cause a CoQ10 depletion in the body.

Because of this data, researchers are suggesting there could be a link between the cholesterol medication and congestive heart failure.

If you are diagnosed with heart failure and have a history of taking Crestor®, contact us for help. A defective drug lawyer may be able to help you recover financial compensation.

About Crestor®

In August of 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Crestor®, the latest in a series of cholesterol-reducing drugs called statins. Like the other six statins to enter the U.S. market, Crestor® is approved for use only in conjunction with a low-cholesterol diet and an exercise program designed to lower cholesterol.

Crestor® is only available in doses of 5, 10, 20, and 40 milligrams. The 40 milligram dose of Crestor® is only available to patients who meet special restrictions.

According to drug manufacturer AstraZeneca, Crestor® works by lowering the total cholesterol in the bloodstream, as well as a form of fat known as triglycerides. It also increases the amount of HDL cholesterol (called "good cholesterol") in the blood.

Warnings and Side Effects

AstraZeneca warns that taking Crestor® with certain other medications (including antacids) could lead to serious complications. The manufacturer's web site lists the common side effects, which include nausea, constipation, stomach pain, weakness and muscle pain.

Crestor® has also been linked to kidney failure brought on by a type of muscle damage known as rhabdomyolysis. This muscle disease can also affect the heart.

In March 2004, the Public Citizen consumer group called on the FDA to immediately remove Crestor® from the market because its link to cases of life-threatening muscle damage and kidney failure or damage. In the group's press release it included information about a 39-year-old Crestor® patient who died of kidney failure and rhabdomyolysis. It also noted that seven cases of rhabdomyolysis and nine case of kidney damage or failure had been reported at that time.

Researchers are now saying there could be a link between the cholesterol medication and problems with the heart, including:

• Dangerous arrhythmias
• Congestive heart failure
• Cardiomyopathy

If you or a loved one is taking Crestor® (rosuvastatin) and has suffered from adverse effects, you should consider speaking with an Crestor® attorney about the possibilities of seeking compensation. Symptoms to be aware of include:

• Fatigue
• Swelling of the ankles, legs or stomach
  
• Decreased appetite
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle pain
• Weakness
• Tenderness
• Malaise
• Fever
• Dark urine
• Nausea, vomiting

For more information, contact a Crestor® lawyer today. We can help you obtain justice in your case.