Rosuvastatin is a medicine many people take to lower their cholesterol. It’s one of the most commonly used drugs in a group called statins, which help prevent heart problems by lowering bad cholesterol.
But a new study from Johns Hopkins University shows that this drug, especially in high doses, might be harmful to the kidneys.
When rosuvastatin was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there were early signs it might cause some kidney issues. These included blood in the urine and protein in the urine—both signs that the kidneys may not be working properly.
However, not many studies followed up on these warning signs, especially in real-world patients outside of clinical trials.
The new study changed that. Researchers looked at the medical records of more than 150,000 people who started taking rosuvastatin between 2011 and 2019, and they compared them to nearly 800,000 people who began using another statin called atorvastatin.
Over a three-year period, they found some troubling patterns. About 2.9% of rosuvastatin users developed blood in their urine, and 1.0% developed protein in their urine.
When compared with atorvastatin users, those taking rosuvastatin had an 8% higher chance of getting blood in their urine, a 17% higher risk of having protein in their urine, and a 15% higher chance of developing serious kidney problems that could require dialysis or even a kidney transplant.
The risks were worse for people taking high doses of rosuvastatin. This was especially concerning in patients who already had kidney problems. In fact, almost half of these patients were given higher doses than what the FDA recommends for people with poor kidney function.
What makes the findings more serious is that both rosuvastatin and atorvastatin worked just as well at protecting the heart. So the extra kidney risk from high-dose rosuvastatin might not be worth it for many people.
This research, published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, is a strong reminder that even approved medicines need to be monitored carefully. It suggests that doctors should think twice before giving high doses of rosuvastatin, especially to people who already have kidney issues.
Doctors and patients may want to talk about other treatment options or lower doses to reduce the risk of kidney damage while still protecting heart health. It also shows how important it is to keep checking how medications affect people over time, even after they are approved.
As we learn more from real-life use of these medicines, doctors can adjust treatments to make sure they are as safe and helpful as possible.
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