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While statin medications have helped millions of patients lower their cholesterol levels, until now, little has been known about how Hispanic patients respond to statin therapy. This is because this group is typically underrepresented in clinical trials.
One study, called STARSHIP (STudy Assessing Rosuvastatin in HIspanic Population), presented at the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) annual meeting, is the first-ever large-scale, prospective trial exclusively designed to compare the effects of statins in Hispanic patients.
STARSHIP evaluated the efficacy of AstraZeneca's cholesterol lowering statin Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium; CRESTOR®) and atorvastatin in 696 randomized Hispanic patients with elevated cholesterol and moderate to high risk of having a cardiovascular event, and found that Crestor at 10 and 20 mg reduced LDL-C or "bad" cholesterol by 45.2 and 50.0 percent compared to 35.9 and 42.4 percent at similar doses with atorvastatin in Hispanic patients (p<0.017).
Crestor also reduced total cholesterol by 32.4 and 34.9 percent compared to 25.6 and 30.9 percent at milligram equivalent doses of atorvastatin in Hispanic patients (p<0.017).
The study, led by Dr. Ramon Lloret, M.D., president of the Cardiovascular Center of South Florida in Miami, is the only study of its kind. "As a Hispanic physician who treats this traditionally underserved population, I see firsthand the importance of this study. The STARSHIP trial represents an important opportunity to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of statins in this traditionally high-risk population," says Dr. Lloret.
"STARSHIP is the first trial to demonstrate significantly greater efficacy in lowering LDL-cholesterol in Hispanic patients using milligram equivalent doses of Crestor compared to atorvastatin."
Hispanics and High Cholesterol
Hispanics are 36 percent less likely than Caucasians to have properly controlled cholesterol.1
About Crestor
Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) is a once-daily prescription medication for use as an adjunct to diet in the treatment of various lipid disorders including primary hypercholesterolemia, mixed dyslipidemia and isolated hypertriglyceridemia. It is a member of the statin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) class of drug therapy. Crestor has not been determined to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes.
For patients with hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia, the usual recommended starting dose of Crestor is 10 mg. However, initiation of therapy with 5 mg once daily should be considered for patients requiring less aggressive LDL-C reductions or who have predisposing factors for myopathy, and for special populations such as patients taking cyclosporine, Asian patients, and patients with severe renal insufficiency.
For patients with marked hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C >190 mg/dL) and aggressive lipid targets, a 20-mg starting dose may be considered. AstraZeneca licensed worldwide rights to Crestor from the Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co., Ltd.
By: Rick Young
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