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Statins for High Cholesterol, Heart Disease: Drug Comparison

CR Best Buy Statin Choices for People Who Require LDL Lowering of Less than 30% Generic Name and Dose Per Day Brand Name1 Average Monthly Cost 2 Average Expected LDL Reduction Reduces the Risk of Heart Attack?3 Yes Yes Mortality Reduction? Compare Prices

Atorvastatin

Atorvastatin 10 mg Atorvastatin 20 mg

Lipitor Lipitor

$115 $161

34% to 38% 42% to 46%

Fluvastatin Fluvastatin 20 mg Lescol $120 22%

Likely

Likely

Fluvastatin 40 mg Lovastatin

Lescol

$120

25% Yes Likely 4

Lovastatin 10 mg Lovastatin 20 mg

Generic Generic

$11 $15

21% 24% to 27%

Lovastatin 40 mg Lovastatin 20 mg

Generic Mevacor

$51 $82

31% 24% to 27%

Lovastatin 40 mg Lovastatin 20 mg sustained-release tablet Lovastatin 40 mg sustained-release tablet Pravastatin

Mevacor Altoprev

$144 $221

31% 30% Unknown Unknown

Altoprev

$277

36% Yes Yes

Pravastatin 10 mg Pravastatin 20 mg

Pravachol Pravachol

$140 $143

18% to 25% 23% to 29%

Pravastatin 40 mg Pravastatin 10 mg

Pravachol Generic

$215 $34

26% to 34% 18% to 25%

Pravastatin 20 mg

Generic

$32

23% to 29%

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Consumer Reports Health - Statins

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/statins.htm

Pravastatin 40 mg

Generic

$47

26% to 34%

Rosuvastatin Rosuvastatin 5 mg Crestor $166 39% to 46%

Yes

Likely

Simvastatin Simvastatin 10 mg Zocor $106 26% to 33%

Yes

Yes

Simvastatin 20 mg Simvastatin 10 mg

Zocor Generic

$175 $36

30% to 40% 26% to 33%

Simvastatin 20 mg

Generic

$70

30% to 40%

(1) "Generic" indicates drug sold by generic name. (2) Prices reflect nationwide retail average for April 2010, rounded to nearest dollar; information derived by Consumer Reports Health Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions. Wolters Kluwer is not involved in our analysis or recommendations. (3) Nonfatal and fatal heart attack plus deaths attributed to heart disease. (4) Lovastatin has not been proven to reduce deaths but the evidence strongly points in that direction.

CR Best Buy

Statin Choices for Higher Risk People (Requiring LDL reduction of 30% or greater) Generic Name With Dose per Day Brand Name1 Average Monthly Cost 2 Average Expected LDL Reduction Reduces the Risk of Heart Attack?3 Yes Lipitor $161 42% to 46% Yes Mortality Reduction? Compare Prices

Atorvastatin Atorvastatin 20 mg

Atorvastatin 40 mg Atorvastatin 80 mg

Lipitor Lipitor

$165 $168

47% to 51% 46% to 54%

Fluvastatin Fluvastatin sustainedrelease 80 mg Lovastatin Lovastatin 80 mg4 Lovastatin 60 mg sustained-release tablet Pravastatin Generic $103 39% to 48% Lescol XL $152 35%

Likely

Likely

Yes

Likely

Altoprev

$253

40% Yes Yes

Pravastatin 80 mg Pravastatin 80 mg

Pravachol Generic

$204 $79

30% to 37% 30% to 37%

Rosuvastatin Rosuvastatin 10 mg Crestor $163 43% to 50%

Yes

Likely

Rosuvastatin 20 mg

Crestor

$164

52% to 55%

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Consumer Reports Health - Statins

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/statins.htm

Rosuvastatin 40 mg

Crestor

$162

55% to 60%

Simvastatin Simvastatin 20 mg Zocor $175 30% to 40%

Yes

Yes

Simvastatin 40 mg Simvastatin 80 mg

Zocor Zocor

$181 $191

35% to 45% 40% to 50%

Simvastatin 20 mg Simvastatin 40 mg

Generic Generic

$70 $68

30% to 40% 35% to 45%

Simvastatin 80 mg Ezetimibe/simvastatin5 Ezetimibe/simvastatin 10 mg/10 mg Ezetimibe/simvastatin 10 mg/20 mg, 10 mg/40 mg, or 10 mg/80 mg

Generic

$66

40% to 50% No No

Vytorin Vytorin

$142 $142-$144

46% 31% to 53%

(1) "Generic" indicates drug sold by generic name. (2) Prices reflect nationwide retail average for April 2010, rounded to nearest dollar; information derived by Consumer Reports Health Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions. Wolters Kluwer is not involved in our analysis or recommendations. (3) Nonfatal and fatal heart attack plus deaths attributed to heart disease. (4) Lovastatin has not been proven to reduce deaths but the evidence strongly points in that direction. (5) Two studies cast doubt on the benefits of this drug. The first was a two-year study that found that Vytorin was no better than simvastatin alone in reducing plaque buildup in arteries. The second was a five-year study that found that Vytorin did not reduce strokes or heart attacks compared to placebo.

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