Texas Crestor Diabetes Lawyer

Crestor (rosuvastatin) is a cholesterol-lowering drug that has been associated with a 27% increased risk of type-2 diabetes. For post-menopausal women, the risk of diabetes may be 50% higher.

What is the problem with Crestor?

Crestor (rosuvastatin) is a popular cholesterol-lowering drug in the statin class. It is manufactured by Astra Zeneca and has been on the market since 2003. It works by interfering with the production of cholesterol in the liver.

The problem with Crestor is that it has been linked to an increased risk of type-2 diabetes — especially in older women with a BMI under 30. However, warnings about the risk of diabetes were only recently added to the label on Crestor. Our lawyers are concerned because many people who took Crestor were not aware of the risk.

FDA Warnings for Crestor and Type-2 Diabetes

April 11, 2012 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Safety Update to warn: “People being treated with statins may have an increased risk of raised blood sugar levels and the development of Type 2 diabetes.”

The FDA also required Astra Zeneca to place new warnings about diabetes on the label for Crestor. The following warning was added to the Prescribing Information:

“Increases in HbA1c and fasting serum glucose levels have been reported with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, including CRESTOR. Based on clinical trial data with CRESTOR, in some instances these increases may exceed the threshold for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.”

Studies of Crestor Diabetes Risk

• Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER): Published in 2006, this clinical trial linked Crestor to a 27% increase in type-2 diabetes.
• Circulation: This meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials involving nearly 250,000 people linked the use of statins to a 9% increased risk of diabetes.
• JAMA Internal Medicine: This study of over 150,000 post-menopausal women linked the use of statins to a 48% increased risk of type-2 diabetes.