Content about Statin

May 14, 2013

Study: CVS Caremark researchers explore demographic factors on medication adherence

A study conducted by researchers at CVS Caremark and Brigham and Women's Hospital and published in the May issue of the American Heart Journal found that non-white patients had 50% greater odds of statin medication nonadherence compared with white patients, while women had 10% greater odds of statin nonadherence compared with men.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — A study conducted by researchers at CVS Caremark and Brigham and Women's Hospital and published in the May issue of the American Heart Journal found that non-white patients had 50% greater odds of statin medication nonadherence compared with white patients, while women had 10% greater odds of statin nonadherence compared with men.

April 10, 2013

Nordic Naturals launches Nordic CoQ10 Ubiquinol

Nordic Naturals launched Nordic CoQ10 Ubiquinol, formulated with 100 mg of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10) ubiquinol in a soft gel delivery format.

WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Nordic Naturals on Tuesday launched Nordic CoQ10 Ubiquinol, formulated with 100 mg of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10) ubiquinol in a soft gel delivery format. Shown to support cardiovascular health and the transformation of food into energy, ubiquinol is the active antioxidant form of CoQ-10, a fat-soluble molecule found in nearly every cell, tissue, and organ in the body, the supplier stated.

April 3, 2013

Patients who adhere to generic statins have lower overall health costs compared with patients adherent to branded statins

Improving adherence to generic statin drugs for high cholesterol can reduce the costs of health care in a way that adherence to branded statins historically couldn't, according to a new study.

SAN DIEGO — Improving adherence to generic statin drugs for high cholesterol can reduce the costs of health care in a way that adherence to branded statins historically couldn't, according to a new study.

March 12, 2013

Reports: New grapefruit may cut drug interactions

A new hybrid grapefruit removes the chemicals that interact with dozens of drugs and have led many to stop eating the fruit, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — A new hybrid grapefruit removes the chemicals that interact with dozens of drugs and have led many to stop eating the fruit, according to published reports.

Reuters reported that Florida researchers had created a grapefruit, called UF914, that mostly removes chemicals known as furanocoumarins, which can interact with more than 80 drugs, including causing serious side effects in patients taking 43 notably statin drugs for cholesterol.

February 26, 2013

Ranbaxy resumes production of cholesterol drug ingredients

Drug maker Ranbaxy Labs has started producing the ingredients for a cholesterol drug while working with the Food and Drug Administration to fix manufacturing issues that led to the recall in November 2012 of several batches of the drug.

NEW YORK — Drug maker Ranbaxy Labs has started producing the ingredients for a cholesterol drug while working with the Food and Drug Administration to fix manufacturing issues that led to the recall in November 2012 of several batches of the drug.

The Indian drug maker said it had initiated corrective and preventive actions, or CAPA, as it prepared to resume supplies of generic atorvastatin calcium tablets to the U.S. market. The drug is a generic version of Pfizer's Lipitor, and Ranbaxy became the first company to market a generic version in November 2011.

November 29, 2012

Eclipsing off-patent Lipitor, Humira tops Rx sales list

Just how much of an impact the loss of patent protection can have on a blockbuster drug became clear earlier this year. 

November 27, 2012

Phone, mail reminders improve statin adherence, study finds

Automated phone and mail reminders increase the likelihood that patients with new prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering drugs will pick them up from the pharmacy, according to a new study.

PASADENA, Calif. — Automated phone and mail reminders increase the likelihood that patients with new prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering drugs will pick them up from the pharmacy, according to a new study.

Kaiser Permanente Southern California enrolled 5,216 patients and found that those receiving an automated reminder were 1.6 times more likely to fill prescriptions for statin drugs than those who didn't receive reminders. The study was published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine Monday.

November 27, 2012

Ranbaxy recalls several lots of generic Lipitor

Ranbaxy Labs has recalled more than three dozen lots of its generic version of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug due to the possible presence of foreign particles, the company said.

NEW YORK — Ranbaxy Labs has recalled more than three dozen lots of its generic version of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug due to the possible presence of foreign particles, the company said.

October 5, 2012

Study: Hypercholesterolemia patients adherent to medication regimen may be healthier, but at a price

Patients with high cholesterol who take statins may be healthier than those who do not, but their overall healthcare costs may be slightly higher than their counterparts, according to a new study.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Patients with high cholesterol who take statins may be healthier than those who do not, but their overall healthcare costs may be slightly higher than their counterparts, according to a new study.

September 18, 2012

Meijer offers Lipitor generic for free

It’s a little hard not to say “Oh, how the mighty have fallen” when a retailer announces that it will give away for free what was once the world’s top-selling drug. But for retailers, it also makes good business sense. 

May 30, 2012

Walgreens study: Pharmacist intervention improves statin adherence

A Walgreens study released Wednesday has found that patients starting high cholesterol medication for the first time who participated in enhanced face-to-face counseling sessions with a community pharmacist demonstrated better medication adherence than those who did not participate in the sessions.

DEERFIELD Ill. — A Walgreens study released Wednesday has found that patients starting high cholesterol medication for the first time who participated in enhanced face-to-face counseling sessions with a community pharmacist demonstrated better medication adherence than those who did not participate in the sessions.

March 12, 2012

Proposed FDA policy could provide route for OTC statin sales, expand pharmacist role

One of the long-term goals of many drug companies has been to win Food and Drug Administration approval for cholesterol-lowering statins as over-the-counter drugs. But it's a goal that has long eluded them due to the agency's concerns about patient safety.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — One of the long-term goals of many drug companies has been to win Food and Drug Administration approval for cholesterol-lowering statins as over-the-counter drugs. But it's a goal that has long eluded them due to the agency's concerns about patient safety.

(THE NEWS: FDA mulls making some prescription drugs available over the counter. For the full story, click here.)

February 28, 2012

Statins could increase blood sugar, cause cognitive problems, FDA says

Drugs widely used to treat cholesterol may cause increases in blood sugar and other symptoms, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Drugs widely used to treat cholesterol may cause increases in blood sugar and other symptoms, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.

July 22, 2011

Study finds cholesterol drug torcetrapib may help control diabetes

A drug designed to boost high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels also may improve blood-sugar control for diabetics, according to a new analysis of a discontinued study.

NEW YORK — A drug designed to boost high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels also may improve blood-sugar control for diabetics, according to a new analysis of a discontinued study.

Australian researchers found that torcetrapib, a cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor, could improve HDL or "good" cholesterol levels while improving blood-sugar control among diabetics.

May 13, 2011

Study: Statin users are less adherent when multiple physicians, trips to pharmacy are involved

Patients taking cardiovascular drugs may become less adherent if they have to see multiple physicians and make frequent trips to the pharmacy, according to a new study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

NEW YORK — Patients taking cardiovascular drugs may become less adherent if they have to see multiple physicians and make frequent trips to the pharmacy, according to a new study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston and CVS Caremark analyzed data from 1.8 million patients taking statins and 1.5 million taking angiotensin receptor blockers or angiotensin-converting enzymes from between June 2006 and May 2007.

March 30, 2011

Heart failure patients skip meds due to cost, study finds

Many patients with heart failure skip pills due to medication costs, according to research by the Mayo Clinic.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Many patients with heart failure skip pills due to medication costs, according to research by the Mayo Clinic.

The study, published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, tracked the pharmacy records of 209 patients ages 60 to 86 years in Olmsted County, Minn., who were asked how often they missed doses or didn’t take their drugs at all and why.

August 31, 2010

'Multifaceted strategies' can improve medication adherence among patients

Improving medication adherence will require bringing multiple methods together in order to be successful, Pharmacy...

SAN DIEGO Improving medication adherence will require bringing multiple methods together in order to be successful, Pharmacy Quality Alliance senior director for research and performance measurement David Nau said Tuesday in an education session at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ Pharmacy and Technology Conference in San Diego.

“You need to have a multifaceted strategy around adherence if you want to have an impact on adherence,” Nau said.

August 5, 2010

Genzyme, Isis announce study results for mipomersen

Biotech company Genzyme and Isis Pharmaceuticals have finished late-stage clinical trials of a cholesterol-lowering drug,...

July 22, 2010

Study: Two therapies may slow diabetic retinopathy in Type 2 diabetes

In high-risk adults with Type 2 diabetes, researchers have found that two therapies may slow...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. In high-risk adults with Type 2 diabetes, researchers have found that two therapies may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age Americans.