Warning over popular statin’s side effects

A popular statin should not be used because there is growing evidence of side effects, a doctor and campaigner has claimed.

While the cholesterol-lowering power of rosuvastatin (Crestor) exceeds other statins, it is associated with a higher increased risk of diabetes, said Dr Sidney Wolfe.

In an opinion piece in the medical journal, BMJ, he asks: “Given the evidence of more serious risks and less clinical benefit than other statins, how has the drug fared so well for so long?”