Crestor® and Heart Muscle Damage

Crestor®, a cholesterol drug, may be linked to heart muscle damage. In 2005, the FDA issued a statement stating that Crestor®, like other statins, may rarely produce serious muscle damage. Interestingly, a clinical trial cited by the FDA found that Asian-Americans being treated with Crestor® had twice the blood levels of Caucasian patients receiving the same Crestor® dosages, which increased the Asian-American patients' chances of heart muscle problems.

Back then, Crestor® was being administered to over 4 million patients.

Is There a Link Between Crestor® and Heart Muscle Damage?

The maker of Crestor®, AstraZeneca, says on the Crestor® packaging information that for individuals who are being treated with Crestor®:

"Unexplained muscle pain or weakness could be a sign of a rare but serious side effect and should be reported to your doctor right away."

The packaging info also notes that Crestor®'s serious side effects may include:

"Muscle Problems. Call your doctor right away if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially with fever. This may be an early sign of a rare muscle problem … The risk of muscle problems is greater in people who are 65 years of age or older, or who already have thyroid or kidney problems. The chance of muscle problems may be increased if you are taking certain other medicines with Crestor®. [emphasis ours]"

The heart is the body's largest muscle, so some researchers believe that patients taking Crestor® are at an increased risk of heart muscle damage. Individuals at an even greater risk of heart muscle damage include the elderly and people who are taking medicines other than Crestor® at the same time, which is a huge patient population, considering how many medications are taken by Americans these days. Moreover, many elderly patients take multiple medications.

It's also worth noting that Crestor® belongs to the FDA Pregnancy Category "X," which is the most dangerous category. Women who may become pregnant are advised not to take Crestor®; it can definitely cause fetal abnormalities and birth defects.

Contact a Crestor® Lawyer

Many people are concerned about a possible link between Crestor® and heart muscle damage. If you have such concerns, contact our Crestor® lawyers. Our law firm represents individuals who have been harmed by a prescription drug treatment.