Crestor is an oral prescription medication used to treat and lower “bad” cholesterol when taken with a proper diet and in conjunction with healthy lifestyle choices. Crestor is also useful to raise “good” cholesterol by triggering certain responses in the liver, where cholesterol originates. Crestor has been linked with liver problems, urinary issues and a rare condition known as rhabdomyolysis.
Crestor has been approved for use since 2003. The FDA approved Crestor as an adjunct therapy program for use with a healthy diet and lifestyle to help lower bad cholesterol from building in the arteries and causing heart disease. Crestor raises high-density lipoproteins which are considered “good” cholesterol in many cases. The drug is taken orally at the direction of a doctor and many patients saw marked improvement in their cholesterol scores within a short timeframe after beginning treatment.
Crestor has also been linked to significant and severe side effects. Consumer groups are advocating for the recall of Crestor as side effects began emerging within five months of approval of the drug. Three patients developed kidney failure and seven people died from complications of rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a disease causing the breakdown of muscle fibers and the release of toxins into the blood stream. The condition can severely weaken the kidneys as they are unable to flush out the toxins quickly enough to avoid failure.
Other Crestor side effects include foamy urine, dark or discolored urine, liver problems and serious allergic reactions. Crestor-related lawsuits have been filed across the nation in response to the significant and deadly side effects linked to the drug.