User 1224

Merck, Schering-Plough: Confessions of a Vytorin Patient

Dr. Josh,
glorified placebo? Since when does placebo significantly lower TC, LDL, TG, CRP , non-HDL cholesterol, and APO-B more than Zocor? I must have missed that study!
Trials with Pravachol, a drug with excellent outcomes data, have shown increases in IMT. The most recent Lipitor IMT trial (RADIANCE) failed to show any significant change in IMT with Lipitor 80. Where was your reference of that trial? Crestor used much different patients, with much thicker baseline IMTs and significantly lower LDLs, in their studies.
Crestor has shown decreased plaque and decreased CV events vs. placebo, hardly earth shattering. Why didn't they use an active comparator such as the much cheaper simvastatin? What proof is there that it is better than the generics other than in reducing LDL and CRP? If it is no better than simva or prava at reducing events why not stick with them for $5 a month? Or maybe you really do believe that further lowering LDL, TG, APO-B, & CRP play a role in reducing events.