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Rosuvastatin More Effective Than Atorvastatin In Hypercholesterolemic Patients

Rosuvastatin has been found more effective than atorvastatin in achieving European Atherosclerosis Society low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol goals.

This has emerged from a 52 American and Canadian center randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial which compared the effects of the new, highly effective statin, rosuvastatin, with atorvastatin and placebo in hypercholesterolemic patients.

Lead author of the report is Dr Michael Davidson, of the Chicago Center for Clinical Research, Chicago, Illinois. Collaborating authors are with the Heart Health Institute Research Clinic, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Metabolic Atherosclerosis Research Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York.

The trial was among 516 patients with LDL cholesterol greater than or equal to 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dl) and <6.47 mmol/L (250 mg/dl), and triglycerides less than or equal to 4.52 mmol/L (400 mg/dl). After a six week dietary run in, 128 patients were randomized to receive rosuvastatin 5 mg daily for 12 weeks, 129 to receive rosuvastatin 10 mg, 127 to receive atorvastatin 10 mg and 132 to receive placebo.

Primary efficacy end point was percent change in LDL cholesterol. Secondary efficacy variables were achievement of National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel II (ATP II), ATP III, and European Atherosclerosis Society LDL cholesterol goals and percent change from baseline in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and apolipoprotein A-I.

Clinicians found that rosuvastatin at 5 and 10 mg were associated with improved achievement in ATP II (84 percent in both rosuvastatin groups compared with 73 percent with atorvastatin ) and ATP III (84 percent and 82 percent with rosuvastatin compared with 72 percent with atorvastatin) LDL cholesterol goals, In addition, rosuvastatin 10 mg was more effective than atorvastatin in achieving European Atherosclerosis Society LDL cholesterol goals.

Total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B reductions and apolipoprotein A-I increases were greater with rosuvastatin. Triglycerides reductions were similar in both treatment groups.

Clinicians also found that treatments with rosuvastatin and with atorvastatin were well tolerated.
American Journal of Cardiology Vol. 89, Iss. 3, Pp. 268-275. "Comparison of effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin in patients with type IIa or IIb hypercholesterolemia"

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