Rosuvastatin: winner in the statin wars, patients' health notwithstanding.

Last year, rosuvastatin (Crestor) was the most prescribed brand name drug in the US, with 22.3 million prescriptions filled and $5.8bn (£3.9bn; €5.5bn) in sales. Worldwide 2013 sales were $8.2bn, the third highest for any branded drug. Given the longstanding, continuing evidence of rosuvastatin’s comparative lack of clinical benefits and increasing evidence of risks, how did this happen? The short answer is that of statins still on the market, themilligram formilligram cholesterol lowering potency of rosuvastatin exceeds all others, a fact exploited in advertising campaigns. But what about actually improving health, preventing heart attacks and strokes? Less evidence of clinical benefit since approval