Is Crestor Risky for Asians?
In studies, blood levels of Crestor rose twice as high in Chinese and Japanese subjects as in other groups. Higher blood levels mean stronger effects and greater risks of side effects. The only place in the lengthy Crestor package insert that specifically describes this problem is the "Clinical Pharmacology, Special Populations" section, which many doctors won't notice. Yet, the all-important "Dosage and Administration" section, which most doctors do read, makes no mention of Asian patients. It does make a vague statement about patients "who have predisposing factors" to side effects, but many doctors will miss the implication and prescribe the same strong standard doses of Crestor to Asian patients. If you are of Asian heritage, it is better to use other statins that don't pose particular risks to Asians.
http://medicationsense.com/articles/july_sept_04/crestor_truth.html
