Rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin is a statin medication that lowers LDL cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase in the liver. It is prescribed for dyslipidemia and to reduce cardiovascular risk.

HMG-CoA reductase: An enzyme that catalyzes a rate-limiting step in the mevalonate pathway of cholesterol synthesis. Rosuvastatin binds this enzyme and reduces its activity.
Dyslipidemia: An abnormal concentration or composition of lipids in the blood. Rosuvastatin treats elevated LDL and other lipid abnormalities.
Atorvastatin: A potent statin that inhibits HMG-CoA reductase and lowers LDL cholesterol. It is a commonly compared alternative with different metabolism and dosing.
Shionogi: A Japanese pharmaceutical company that discovered rosuvastatin. Shionogi developed the compound before licensing it for international commercialization.
JUPITER trial: A clinical trial testing rosuvastatin for primary prevention in people with normal LDL and elevated C-reactive protein. It found fewer major cardiovascular events with rosuvastatin in the studied population.
Mevalonate pathway: A metabolic pathway that produces cholesterol and other isoprenoid compounds from acetyl-CoA. This is the pathway rosuvastatin interrupts upstream of cholesterol production.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Diseases caused by plaque buildup in arteries, including coronary artery disease and ischemic stroke. Reducing LDL with rosuvastatin helps prevent events caused by atherosclerosis.
Pravastatin: A statin that inhibits HMG-CoA reductase and is less potent per milligram than rosuvastatin. Its lower potency and different interaction profile make it a useful comparison.
AstraZeneca: A British-Swedish pharmaceutical company that developed and marketed rosuvastatin internationally. AstraZeneca brought rosuvastatin to market under the Crestor brand.
HOPE-3 trial: A randomized trial of rosuvastatin for cardiovascular prevention in people at intermediate risk without known cardiovascular disease. It provided evidence for preventive use in a broader risk group.

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SimvastatinCompared with: Rosuvastatin offers another potent statin option with a different interaction profile.