The U.S. Food and Drug Administration should approve expanded use of the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and death in people with healthy cholesterol levels, an expert panel recommended Tuesday.
In a 12-4 vote with one abstention, the FDA advisory panel decided that Crestor's benefits outweigh its risks in patients with normal cholesterol and no history of heart disease, the Associated Press reported.
While not required to, the FDA usually follows the advice of its expert panels.
Crestor, made by AstraZeneca, is already a widely used drug, the AP reported.