Study casts new doubt on Crestor

The cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor is more likely than other statins to cause muscle deterioration that can lead to kidney disease and failure, according to a study in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation.

The conclusion is at odds with a recommendation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which in March rejected a citizen’s petition to remove Crestor from the market. The FDA said Crestor, marketed by AstraZeneca LP, appears to be no more dangerous than other statins for most people.

Based on the number of side effects reported to the FDA, the researchers said Monday that Crestor is two to six times as likely to cause complications over a one-year period as three other statins on the market.

While the number of serious side effects reported by Crestor users was small, the researchers said the higher rate convinced them doctors should try their patients on other statins and turn to Crestor only as a last resort.

AstraZeneca defended Crestor, saying the FDA’s system for soliciting reports of complications does not confirm the accuracy of the accounts it gets and can’t be used to determine a drug’s risks.