A Guide to Taking Rosuvastatin

What is Rosuvastatin?

Rosuvastatin (Crestor) is a statin, a prescription medication for lowering LDL or bad cholesterol. Statins belong to a drug class called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

By inhibiting the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme in your liver, rosuvastatin prevents your liver from producing as much cholesterol. Additionally, it increases your liver's ability to take in and break down cholesterol from your blood.

What is Rosuvastatin used for?

Rosuvastatin, along with many other statins, is considered the first-line medication for the treatment of dyslipidemia (high levels of cholesterol or fats, including lipids in your blood). It's used in conjunction with proper diet, weight loss, and exercising to lower your chance of developing a heart attack and/or stroke as well as the likelihood of requiring heart surgery if you already have preexisting heart disease or are at risk for acquiring it.

Conditions rosuvastatin is used for:

• Dyslipidemia
• Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels in your blood)—an inherited medical condition that causes high levels of LDL
• Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HeFH)
• Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH)—a medical condition that develops when your body has trouble eliminating LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, from your blood, resulting in an increased risk of developing a heart attack at a young age.
• Primary and secondary prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD)—caused by the cholesterol buildup (plaque) in your arteries.
  —across the nation, ASCVD is considered a significant source of morbidity and mortality.

How is Rosuvastatin administered?

Both tablet and capsule forms of rosuvastatin are available and can be taken with or without food.

• Crestor: Tablet
  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially authorized the rosuvastatin tablet formulation in 2003 under the trade name Crestor.
• Ezallor Sprinkle: Capsule
  The capsule form of rosuvastatin is authorized in 2018. Adults who find it difficult to swallow tablets or capsules can open the capsules, empty the contents onto soft food, and then consume them.
• Use in adolescents
  Only Crestor tablets have received approval. Because the manufacturer of Crestor tablets presently holds the exclusive marketing rights for use of rosuvastatin in this age range, generic versions of rosuvastatin tablets and capsules are not authorized for use in children.

Doses

• High-intensity: 20–40 mg daily
  Can reduce LDL by at least 50%
• Moderate-intensity: 5–10 mg daily
  Can reduce LDL by approximately 30%–49%

Keep rosuvastatin at room temperature (between 68°F to 77°F) in a sealed container away from heat, humidity, and bright light.

What are the side effects of Rosuvastatin?

Although Rosuvastatin is safe and effective for many people, it does cause an extensive amount of adverse effects, including the following:

1. Muscle weakness, muscle cramps, stiffness and spasms (Myopathy—affects muscles that connect to your bones)
2. Muscle pain and/or soreness (Myalgias)
3. Join pain (Arthralgia)
4. Cognitive impairment
5. Headache
6. Cold-like symptoms, including sore throat, stuffy nose, and/or sneezing
7. Insomnia
8. Nausea
9. Heartburn
10. Abdominal pain
11. Indigestion
12. Constipation
13. Weakness

Do not abruptly discontinue taking rosuvastatin if you are encountering any negative side effects. Consult your doctor to determine whether a dose adjustment or switching to a different drug could be beneficial in your case.

Serious side effects

1. Difficulty raising your arms and/or difficulty rising or standing
2. Muscle aches in your hips, shoulders, neck, and back
3. Hepatic (liver) issues, such as upper abdominal pain, weakness, fatigue, decreased appetite, dark urine, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
4. Kidney issues, such as little to no urination, ankle or foot swelling, fatigue, or shortness of breath.
5. Confusion and/or memory problems

If you’re experiencing any of the serious side effects listed above, immediately call your doctor and stop taking this medication.

Warning

Individuals taking rosuvastatin may experience blood in their urine, also called hematuria, or protein in their urine commonly referred to as proteinuria.

Read about Statin side effects

Can I take Rosuvastatin if I’m pregnant?

Inform your doctor if you get pregnant or think you could be pregnant while taking Rosuvastatin. Your doctor will advise you on whether you should discontinue it during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Following giving birth, women who need statins and are at high risk of heart attack or stroke should not breastfeed; instead, they should utilize alternatives such as baby formula.

Can Rosuvastatin interact with anything?

Your physician must be aware of any additional medications you are taking because some of them might significantly raise your chance of developing serious muscle issues.

Inform your physician of all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, including:

• Cyclosporine
• Gemfibrozil
• Darolutamide (commonly used to treat prostate cancer)
• Regorafenib (commonly used to treat rectum and colon cancer)
• Protease inhibitors, including Atazanavir (commonly used to treat HIV)

Rosuvastatin and antacid

Rosuvastatin’s absorption may be slowed down by antacids made of aluminum or magnesium. If using this kind of antacid, wait at least 2 hours before taking another one.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Although rosuvastatin can be taken at any time of the day, it should be taken at roughly the same time every day so you don’t forget to take it.

However, if you do forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it's almost time for your next dose. In this case, skip the forgotten dose and take the next one at the usual time. Do not take 2 doses together to make up for a missed dose.

Rosuvastatin vs Atorvastatin

In various clinical studies rosuvastatin (10 to 40 mg) lead to 45.8—54.6% reduction in LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. This is about 3 times more potent and effective than atorvastatin.

Another notable difference between the statins is their metabolic route. Atorvastatin is broken down by the enzyme CYP3A4 in the liver. CYP3A4 is responsible for more than 50% of medications. Rosuvastatin, on the other hand, is broken down by the 2C9 enzyme and barely impacted by CYP3A4. As a result, rosuvastatin is associated with fewer drug and food interactions than atorvastatin

Speak with your doctor

Rosuvastatin is considered a safe and effective medication when taken appropriately (as prescribed by your doctor). Talk to your doctor today about using Rosuvastatin and send your prescription to Marley Drug. Save up to 95% compared to your local pharmacy by using Marley Drug.

Marley Drug provides free nationwide shipping, allowing you to receive your medication at no additional cost straight to your door.