AstraZeneca's Crestor has beneficial effects on apolipoprotein and lipid ratios

AstraZeneca released new data at the 13th International Symposium on Atherosclerosis in Kyoto, Japan, showing that its statin Crestor (rosuvastatin) demonstrates more favorable effects on apolipoprotein and lipid ratios than other widely-available statins. Furthermore, results presented at the meeting also showed a greater improvement in these measures in patients who switched to 10mg Crestor from the most commonly-prescribed of these other statins.

Crestor belongs to the group of cholesterol-lowering agents which inhibit HMGCoA reductase and lower low-density lipoprotein, while increasing levels of high-density or "good" cholesterol.

The protein components of these lipoproteins are called apolipoproteins and may provide a more useful predictor of cardiovascular disease risk. Raised levels of apolipoprotein A-I are associated with an increase in HDL levels, which is linked with a decreased risk of atherosclerosis, whilst apolipoprotein B may be a more accurate marker of CVD risk than either total cholesterol or LDL-C, since it more accurately reflects the levels of all atherogenic lipoproteins, noted the company.