Hello & Welcome!
In terms of "most widely perscribed/used", cholesterol-lowering drugs... Crestor is the latest generation of statin drugs; following it's (still to this day in the US particularly, I believe), most perscribed predesessor, Lipitor.
It's viewed as having all the same positive results as Lipitor but doesn't have the more severe side-effects that Lipitor has. I think it's supposed to have some success in helping the good cholesterol, too. Here in Canada, they seem to lean more towards perscribing Crestor than Lipitor. I think it's the side-effects thing (and probably some good 'ol politics, too
Until recently, I was on Crestor for the past 6 months. At 39 years old, with only slightly elevated cholesterol, I didn't think spending (without insurance) what amounted to $700/year on "preventative therapy", was necessary at this time. I'm having some liver tests (blood tests) to check things out, as I did experience some of the statin side-effects: muscle weakness/ache, joint pain, and the one they don't tell you about
but that you read a lot about
in testimonials (message boards, articles, etc.)....hair falling out. It does grow back but it's like the follicles are weakened or something...anyway, that's just me.
Crestor, like other statins, is processed through the liver. You don't want to be having liver issues and be on statins. My doctors want me to consider a new drug: Ezetrol. It's a new cholesterol-lowering drug that isn't processed by the liver. Wonder how much that one is?
Not sure I really helped here????