Crestor
Crestor is a medicine that helps lower "bad" cholesterol and raise "good" cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke for adults and children aged 6 and older with high cholesterol.
How to Use
Dosage
For adults, the typical starting dose is 5 mg or 10 mg once daily. For children (6-17 years), the usual starting dose is 5 mg once daily.
Method
Swallow the tablet whole with water once a day, with or without food. Try to take it at the same time daily to help you remember.
The maximum daily dose for adults is 40 mg. For children (6-17 years), the maximum is 10 mg or 20 mg, and the 40 mg tablet should not be used.
Possible Side Effects
- •Headache
- •Stomach pain
- •Constipation
- •Feeling sick (nausea)
- •Muscle pain
- •Weakness
- •Dizziness
- •Protein in urine (usually temporary and goes back to normal)
- •Diabetes (more likely if you have high sugar/fat levels, are overweight, or have high blood pressure)
- •Skin rash, itching, or other skin reactions
- •Severe allergic reactions (swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; difficulty swallowing or breathing; intense itching with raised bumps)
- •Muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis)
- •Severe stomach pain (pancreatitis)
- •Increased liver enzyme levels in blood
- •Bleeding or bruising more easily due to low platelet count
- •Lupus-like disease (rash, joint pain, effects on blood cells)
- •Yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice)
- •Liver inflammation (hepatitis)
- •Small amounts of blood in urine
- •Nerve damage in legs and arms (e.g., numbness)
- •Joint pain
- •Memory loss
- •Breast enlargement in men (gynecomastia)
- •Diarrhea
- •Cough
- •Shortness of breath
- •Swelling (edema)
- •Sleep problems (insomnia, nightmares)
- •Sexual problems
- •Depression
- •Tendon injury or persistent muscle weakness
- •Myasthenia gravis (general muscle weakness, sometimes affecting breathing muscles) or ocular myasthenia (eye muscle weakness)
Important Warnings
- Do not take Crestor if you are allergic to rosuvastatin or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take Crestor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking Crestor, stop immediately and tell your doctor. Use effective birth control during treatment.
- Do not take Crestor if you have liver disease or severe kidney disease.
- Stop taking Crestor and contact your doctor immediately if you experience unusual muscle pain or weakness that lasts longer than expected, especially if you also feel unwell or have a fever.
- Stop taking Crestor and seek immediate medical help if you develop severe skin reactions like widespread rash, blistering, peeling skin, mouth sores, or facial/throat swelling with difficulty breathing.
Show 3 more warnings
- Do not take Crestor if you are taking cyclosporine (used after organ transplants), or a combination of sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir (for Hepatitis C).
- If you need to take fusidic acid for a bacterial infection, you must temporarily stop taking Crestor. Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to restart Crestor.
- The 40 mg Crestor tablet is not suitable for children under 18 years old. Also, do not take 40 mg Crestor if you have moderate kidney problems, an underactive thyroid, a history of muscle problems (personal or family), regularly drink large amounts of alcohol, are of Asian origin, or are taking fibrates. Crestor should not be given to children under 6 years old at any dose.
Use in Elderly Patients
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Reduce the dose in moderately severe renal impairment. Do not use in severe renal impairment. Possible adverse effects include muscle pain and muscular weakness. Concurrent use of aluminium and magnesium reduces the effectiveness of the drug,. Consider potential interactions. (updated 17.4.2023)