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Efficacy, Safety, Cost, and Clinical Outcomes after the Switch to Generic Rosuvastatin Compared with Consistent

Mu-Shiang Huang1,2, Chun-I Wu3, Ping-Yen Liu1,4

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan.

Acta Cardiologica Sinica
|November 28, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Switching to generic rosuvastatin is as effective and safe as brand-name atorvastatin for lipid control and cardiovascular events. Patients experienced comparable outcomes and reduced medical expenses with generic rosuvastatin.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacoeconomics
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Clinical Pharmacy

Background:

  • The comparative efficacy, safety, and clinical outcomes of switching to generic rosuvastatin versus continuing brand-name atorvastatin were not well-established.
  • Understanding these differences is crucial for medication policy and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the lipid-lowering efficacy, safety, clinical outcomes (major adverse cardiovascular events - MACE), and medical expenses between patients switching to generic rosuvastatin and those consistently using brand-name atorvastatin.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of electronic medical records from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020.
  • Patients switching from brand-name to generic rosuvastatin after March 14, 2018, were compared with those on continuous brand-name atorvastatin.
  • Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance covariates, with 592 patients in each group post-matching.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences were observed in lipid profiles (total cholesterol, LDL) or glycated hemoglobin between the generic rosuvastatin and brand-name atorvastatin groups.
  • The cumulative rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was comparable between groups after the switch date.
  • Patients switching to generic rosuvastatin experienced an average 16% reduction in medical expenses.

Conclusions:

  • Switching to generic rosuvastatin demonstrates comparable lipid-lowering efficacy, safety, and clinical outcomes to maintaining brand-name atorvastatin.
  • Generic rosuvastatin offers a cost-effective alternative, leading to significant reductions in medical expenses.
Abstract

Keywords:
CholesterolGenericHMG-CoA reductaseHyperlipidemiaStatin

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