| Item |
Information |
|
Drug Groups
|
approved |
|
Description
|
Rosuvastatin is an antilipemic agent that competitively inhibits hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. HMG-CoA reducuase catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonic acid, the rate-limiting step in cholesterol biosynthesis. Rosuvastatin belongs to a class of medications called statins and is used to reduce plasma cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular disease. |
| Indication |
Used as an adjunct to dietary therapy to treat primary hypercholesterolemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial), mixed dyslipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Also indicated for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia as an adjunct to other lipid-lowering therapies or when other such therapies are not available. |
| Pharmacology |
Rosuvastatin is a synthetic, enantiomerically pure antilipemic agent. It is used to lower total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein B (apoB), non-high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (non-HDL-C), and trigleride (TG) plasma concentrations while increasing HDL-C concentrations. High LDL-C, low HDL-C and high TG concentrations in the plasma are associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio is a strong predictor of coronary artery disease and high ratios are associated with higher risk of disease. Increased levels of HDL-C are associated with lower cardiovascular risk. By decreasing LDL-C and TG and increasing HDL-C, rosuvastatin reduces the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. |
| Toxicity |
Generally well-tolerated. Side effects may include myalgia, constipation, asthenia, abdominal pain, and nausea. Other possible side effects include myotoxicity (myopathy, myositis, rhabdomyolysis) and hepatotoxicity. To avoid toxicity in Asian patients, lower doses should be considered. Pharmacokinetic studies show an approximately two-fold increase in peak plasma concentration and AUC in Asian patients (Philippino, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Asian-Indian descent) compared to Caucasians patients. |
| Affected Organisms |
| • |
Humans and other mammals |
|
| Biotransformation |
Not extensively metabolized. Only ~10% is excreted as metabolite. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 is primarily responsible for the formation of rosuvastatin's major metabolite, N-desmethylrosuvastatin. N-desmethylrosuvastatin has approximately 50% of the pharmacological activity of its parent compound in vitro. Rosuvastatin accounts for greater than 87% of the pharmacologic action. Inhibitors of CYP2C9 increase the AUC by less than 2-fold. This interaction does not appear to be clinically significant. |
| Absorption |
Bioavailability is approximately 20% |
| Half Life |
19 hours |
| Protein Binding |
90% bound to plasma proteins (mostly albumin) |
| Elimination |
Rosuvastatin is not extensively metabolized; approximately 10% of a radiolabeled dose is recovered as metabolite. Following oral administration, rosuvastatin and its metabolites are primarily excreted in the feces (90%). |
| Distribution |
* 134 L |
| References |
| • |
Di Napoli P, Taccardi AA, Grilli A, De Lutiis MA, Barsotti A, Felaco M, De Caterina R: Chronic treatment with rosuvastatin modulates nitric oxide synthase expression and reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat hearts. Cardiovasc Res. 2005 Jun 1;66(3):462-71.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
Everett BM, Glynn RJ, MacFadyen JG, Ridker PM: Rosuvastatin in the prevention of stroke among men and women with elevated levels of C-reactive protein: justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER). Circulation. 2010 Jan 5;121(1):143-50.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
Jones SP, Gibson MF, Rimmer DM 3rd, Gibson TM, Sharp BR, Lefer DJ: Direct vascular and cardioprotective effects of rosuvastatin, a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2002 Sep 18;40(6):1172-8.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
Jones PH, Davidson MH, Stein EA, Bays HE, McKenney JM, Miller E, Cain VA, Blasetto JW: Comparison of the efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin, simvastatin, and pravastatin across doses (STELLAR* Trial). Am J Cardiol. 2003 Jul 15;92(2):152-60.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
Kilic E, Kilic U, Matter CM, Luscher TF, Bassetti CL, Hermann DM: Aggravation of focal cerebral ischemia by tissue plasminogen activator is reversed by 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor but does not depend on endothelial NO synthase. Stroke. 2005 Feb;36(2):332-6.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
Kosmidou I, Moore JP, Weber M, Searles CD: Statin treatment and 3' polyadenylation of eNOS mRNA. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2007 Dec;27(12):2642-9.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
Laufs U, Gertz K, Dirnagl U, Bohm M, Nickenig G, Endres M: Rosuvastatin, a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, upregulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase and protects from ischemic stroke in mice. Brain Res. 2002 Jun 28;942(1-2):23-30.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
McKillop T: The statin wars. Lancet. 2003 Nov 1;362(9394):1498.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
McTaggart F, Buckett L, Davidson R, Holdgate G, McCormick A, Schneck D, Smith G, Warwick M: Preclinical and clinical pharmacology of Rosuvastatin, a new 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor. Am J Cardiol. 2001 Mar 8;87(5A):28B-32B.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
Nissen SE, Nicholls SJ, Sipahi I, Libby P, Raichlen JS, Ballantyne CM, Davignon J, Erbel R, Fruchart JC, Tardif JC, Schoenhagen P, Crowe T, Cain V, Wolski K, Goormastic M, Tuzcu EM: Effect of very high-intensity statin therapy on regression of coronary atherosclerosis: the ASTEROID trial. JAMA. 2006 Apr 5;295(13):1556-65.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
Stalker TJ, Lefer AM, Scalia R: A new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, rosuvastatin, exerts anti-inflammatory effects on the microvascular endothelium: the role of mevalonic acid. Br J Pharmacol. 2001 Jun;133(3):406-12.
[Pubmed]
|
| • |
The statin wars: why AstraZeneca must retreat. Lancet. 2003 Oct 25;362(9393):1341.
[Pubmed]
|
|
| External Links |
|
|