This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Izzat, L. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The MERCURY II trial: benefits of rosuvastatin

Department, Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli, Dyfed, SA14 8QF, UK, linaizzat{at}ntlworld.com

Measuring Effective Reductions in Cholesterol Using Rosuvastatin therapy (MERCURY II) was a 16-week, randomised, open-label study in high-risk subjects with primary hypercholesterolaemia, comparing efficacy and safety following a switch after eight weeks from the accepted/potential start doses of atorvastatin (10 and 20 mg) and simvastatin (20 and 40 mg) to the most widely used doses of rosuvastatin (10 and 20 mg) or remaining on initial therapy. At 16 weeks, significantly more patients switched to rosuvastatin had achieved their National Cholesterol Education Programme/Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets than those who remained on atorvastatin or simvastatin, also patients with hypertriglyceridaemia were more likely to achieve their LDL-C, non high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apo B goals when switched to rosuvastatin. A greater number of patients deemed very high risk achieved their optional NCEP/ATP III LDL-C target of < 1.8 mmol/L (70 mg/dL) when switched to rosuvastatin from either atorvastatin or simvastatin. All statin regimes were well tolerated with a comparable side effect profile. In high-risk patients, where new lipid targets are especially difficult to achieve, switching to rosuvastatin 10 or 20 mg was a safe and effective strategy.

Key Words: statins • dyslipidaemia • LDL-C.

References

• Brady A., Betteridge J. Cholesterol reduction correlates with reduction in CHD Events. Br J Cardiol 2003;10:218-19.
• Evans M. Statin safety in perspective - maximising the risk benefit. Br J Cardiol 2004;11:449-54.
• Cholesterol Treatment Trialists' (CTT) Collaborators. Lancet 2005;366: 1267-78.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• O'Keefe JH Jr, Cordain L., Harris WH et al. Optimal low-density lipoprotein is 50 to 70 mg/dl: lower is better and physiologically normal. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;43:2142-6.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• LaRosa JC, Grundy SM, Waters DD et al. Intensive Lipid Lowering with Atorvastatin in Patients with Stable Coronary Disease. New Engl J Med 2005;352:1425-35.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Ballantyne CM, Bertolami M., Garcia HRH et al. Achieving LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B target levels in high-risk patients: Measuring Effective Reductions in Cholesterol Using Rosuvastatin therapY (MERCURY) II; Am Heart J 2006;151:975.e1-975.e9.
• JBS2. Heart 2005;91(suppl V):1-52.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Update on Cholesterol Guidelines: More-Intensive Treatment Options for Higher Risk Patients National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, American College of cardiology, and American Heart Association Endorse Report. DHHS, NIH News - July 12, 2004. httpp://www.amereicanheart.org
• Grundy SM Low-Density Lipoprotein, Non-High-Density Lipoprotein, and Apolipoprotein B as Targets of Lipid-Lowering Therapy. Circulation 2002;106:2526.[Free Full Text]
• Jones PH, Davidson MH, Stein EA et al. for the STELLAR study group. Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of Rosuvastatin Versus Atorvastatin, Simvastatin and Pravastatin Across Doses (STELLAR Trial). Am J Cardiol 2003;92:152-60.[Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Stalenhoef AFH, Ballantyne CM, Sarti C. et al. A COmparative study with rosuvastatin in subjects with METabolic Syndrome: rationale and design of the COMETS study. Diabetes Metab 2003;29(suppl):4S318. Abstract 2559.
• Schneck DW, Knopp RH, Ballantyne CM et al. Comparative effects of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin across their dose ranges in patients with hypercholesterolemia and without active arterial disease. Am J Cardiol 2003;91:33-41.[Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Blasseto JW, Stein EA, Brown WV et al. Efficacy of rosuvastatin compared with other statins at selected starting doses in hypercholesterolemic patients and in special population groups. Am J Cardiol 2003;91(5A):3-10C.
• Schuster H., Barter PJ, Stender S. et al. Effects of switching statins on achievement of lipid goals: Measuring Effective Reductions in Cholesterol Using Rosuvastatin Therapy (MERCURY I) study. Am Heart J 2004;147:705-12.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Olsson AG, Istad H., Luurila O. et al. Effects of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin compared over 52 weeks of treatment in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Am Heart J 2002;144:1044-51.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Shepherd J., Hunninghake DB, Stein EA et al. Safety of rosuvastatin. Am J Cardiol 2004;94:882-8.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Schectman G., Hiatt J. Dose-response characteristics of cholesterol-lowering drug therapies: implications for treatment. Ann Intern Med 1996;125:990-1000.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Brewer HB Benefit-risk assessment of Rosuvastatin 10 to 40 milligrams. Am J Cardiol 2003;92(4B):23K-29K.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Sueta CA, Chowdhury M., Boccuzzi SJ et al. Analysis of the degree of Continued on page 176 Continued from page 174 undertreatment of hyperlipidemia and congestive heart failure secondary to coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol 1999;83:1303-07.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Collins R., Armitage J., Parish S. et al. MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of cholesterol-lowering with simvastatin in 5963 people with diabetes: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2003;361:2005-16.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Colhoun HM, Betteridge DJ, Durrington PN et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with atorvastatin in type 2 diabetes in the Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes Study (CARDS): multicentre randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2004;364:641-2.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Haffner SM, Lehto S., Rönnemaa T., Pyörälä K. et al. Mortality from coronary heart disease in subjects with type 2 diabetes and in nondiabetic subjects with and without prior myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med 1998;339:229-34.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Kreisberg RA Diabetic dyslipidemia. Am J Cardiol 1998;82(12A):67U-73U; discussion 85U-86U.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
• Betteridge DJ and Gibson M., on behalf of the ANDROMEDA study investigators. Effect of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin on LDL-C and CRP levels in patients with type 2 diabetes: results of the ANDROMEDA study. Atherosclerosis 2004; 5(suppl 1):107. Abstract M.46.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Franken AAM, Wolffenbuttel BHR, Vincent JJ on behalf of the Dutch CORALL study group. Cholesterol-lowering effects of rosuvastatin compared with atorvastatin in patients with type 2 diabetes: the CORALL study. Atherosclerosis 2004;5(suppl 1):118. Abstract M.513.
• Jukema JW,Liem AH, Dunselman PHJM et al. on behalf of the RADAR 125. Abstract M.542. study investigators. LDL/HDL-C ratio in patients with coronary artery disease and low HDL-C: the RADAR study. Atherosclerosis 2004;5(suppl 1):

The British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease, Vol. 6, No. 4, 171-176 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/14746514060060040501


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Izzat, L. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?