Safety of statins

Statins are considered to be the first-line therapy for reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in patients at high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Although favorable results from a large number of controlled clinical trials underline the benefits of statin therapy, the safety of statins receives much attention. Controlled trials and clinical practice have demonstrated that, except for cerivastatin, statins are generally safe; indeed, the frequency of clinically relevant adverse effects is rather low. Rosuvastatin is the newest member in the group, having both attractive potency and superior maximal therapeutic efficacy. In this review, the safety of statins is discussed with special reference to rosuvastatin and in the light of relevant data from comprehensive clinical trial series of rosuvastatin as well as pharmacoepidemiological studies and reports of health authorities.