GP survey highlights strategic success in fight against cholesterol

Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca says that the results of a UK study of physicians has revealed that the majority of patients previously not reaching cholesterol targets can achieve their goals with a simple, cost-effective treatment strategy. The survey included data from over 100 general practices in the UK, representing a population of around 10,000 patients.

The data, which were presented at the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society meeting in Newcastle in the UK, demonstrated that 81% of patients treated with a daily 10mg dose of AstraZeneca's drug Crestor (rosuvastatin) achieved target cholesterol levels as set out by the country's General Medical Services. The firm added that this level of cholesterol reduction was also achieved by those who had failed to do so previously, even when treated with higher doses of other statins including Pfizer's Lipitor (atorvastatin) and simvastatin.

AstraZeneca added that the new data demonstrates what treatment can achieve with an effective second-line statin if cholesterol targets cannot be successfully achieved using generic simvastatin.