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Rosuvastatin medications are indicated for use as part of a treatment plan (including improving dietary habits and regular exercise), in order to help lower the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood.
In adults, doses of Rosuvastatin are used to help control blood cholesterol levels, when diet and exercise alone aren’t providing adequate cholesterol management.
In some cases, you may see Rosuvastatin under the brand names Ezallor Sprinkle or Crestor. However, these brand names and Rosuvastatin contain identical ingredients and function the same way.
If you’d like to learn more about prescription Rosuvastatin medications, you can click here for more information.
Rosuvastatin medications belong to the family of drugs known as ‘statins’; more specifically Rosuvastatin medications are HMGCoA reductase inhibitors.
Rosuvastatin works by helping to block an enzyme that is created by your liver that’s involved in producing cholesterol.
In turn, alongside diet and exercise, prescription doses of Rosuvastatin help control the levels of blood cholesterol in your body.
When considering the specific interactions of Rosuvastatin with your body, these medications can:
- Decrease levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood
- Increase levels of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood
- Decrease your Total Cholesterol/HDL-Cholesterol Ratio (TC: HDL-C Ratio), which represents the amount of good vs bad cholesterol in your body at any given time
What is Rosuvastatin used to treat?
Been wondering, “what is Rosuvastatin used for?” There are a few different things that a Rosuvastatin prescription could be used to treat (alongside a healthy diet and exercise), including:
- Reducing blood cholesterol levels in adults
- Controlling blood cholesterol levels in children between the ages of 10-18 who have inherited heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia from one of their parents
- Helping to balance your blood cholesterol (decrease LDL, while increasing HDL), in order to decrease your TC: HDL-C Ratio
For someone with diabetes, your risk of experiencing heart attacks and strokes may be higher, which then may require treatments to minimize the chances of these issues occurring.
In some cases, doses of Rosuvastatin may be used to reduce the risks of things like heart disease, heart attacks, and/or strokes.
How long does Rosuvastatin last after you take it?
While some people may experience side effects of Rosuvastatin, in many cases, these side effects may lessen or disappear in time, as your body adjusts to the medication. However, some side effects of taking Rosuvastatin that you could experience include:
- Fatigue or feeling weak
- Swelling of joints
- Joint pain
- Abdominal, chest, or back pain
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Nausea or indigestion
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Gas or bloating
- Flu symptoms (i.e., fever, headache, body aches, etc.)
- Confusion
- Memory loss
- Swelling of the arms, legs, hands, or feet
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sinus infections
- Skin rashes, itchiness, or hives
- Blood in urine
- Difficulty sleeping or insomnia
- Nightmares
- Breast growth in men
- Sores in the mouth
- Erectile dysfunction (inability to get or maintain an erection)
If you start to experience any of these side effects of Rosuvastatin, or any other more serious side effects (i.e., allergic reactions, liver failure, pancreatitis, etc.), you should contact your practitioner right away.
They may be able to suggest an alternative medication to Rosuvastatin without interactions, or adjust your dose of Rosuvastatin to reduce negative symptoms.
There are a number of people who shouldn’t take Rosuvastatin, due to interactions that may occur. These include:
- Patients and children who are allergic to Rosuvastatin medications or any of its active ingredients
- Patients or children with liver disease or unexplained increases in liver enzymes
- Patients or children taking cyclosporine as an immuno-suppressant
- Patients or children taking sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, or voxilaprevir as a treatment for a hepatitis C infection
- People who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to breastfeed
In addition to these patients, you should NOT take the 40 mg Rosuvastatin dose if you:
- Are of Asian descent
- Are at risk for serious muscle problems, such as:
- You have thyroid issues
- You’re over the age of 70
- You exercise excessively
- You have a personal or family history of muscle disorders
- You’ve had previous issues (i.e., muscle pain, tenderness) after using statin medications
- You’re currently taking fibrates (i.e., gemfibrozil, fenofibrate and bezafibrate) or niacin
- You regularly drink three or more alcoholic drinks in a day (alcohol and statin medications don’t mix well)
- You have kidney or liver problems
- You have diabetes alongside a build-up of fats in your liver
- You’ve recently had surgery or other major tissue injury
- You have another condition that causes frailty or weakness
- You’re taking any other medications that you believe could cause interactions with Rosuvastatin prescriptions
If any of the above apply to you, be sure to talk to your practitioner before requesting a prescription for Rosuvastatin, as they may be able to suggest an alternative medication that won’t cause negative interactions like Rosuvastatin.
Also, there are some people who should be extra cautious when taking doses of Rosuvastatin. Be sure to let your practitioner know before starting a prescription for Rosuvastatin if you or your child:
- Have taken Rosuvastatin or other medications used to lower cholesterol in the past
- Have heart problems
- Have high blood sugar, diabetes, or you’re at risk for diabetes
- Have a history of liver problems
- Are of Asian descent
- Have risk factors for potential muscle problems
- Have or have had myasthenia
- Have been told you have genetic variations in your SLCO1B1 and/or ABCG2 genes
What Should I Avoid While Taking Rosuvastatin?
There are a few things that you should avoid while taking a prescription for Rosuvastatin, such as:
- Other medications that lower cholesterol
- Medications used to treat HIV and Hepatitis C viral infections, either alone or in combination (i.e., paritaprevir, dasabuvir, simeprevir, velpatasvir, etc.)
- Certain medications used to treat fungal infections (i.e., ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole)
- Spironolactone for high blood pressure
- Cimetidine for ulcers of the stomach and intestines
- Dronedarone for abnormal heart rhythms
- Certain medications used to treat cancer (i.e., regorafenib, darolutamide, capmatinib)
- Febuxostat for high uric acid levels
- Certain medications used to treat low blood platelets (i.e., fostamatinib, eltrombopag)
- Teriflunomide for treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis
- Certain medications used to treat blood clots (i.e., warfarin, clopidogrel)
- Fusidic acid
- Birth control pills
- Baicalin
- Roxadustat for increasing red blood cell count in patients with chronic kidney disease
- Enasidenib for acute myeloid leukemia
- Tafamidis for transthyretin amyloidosis
In addition to these concerns, antacids should not be taken within 2 hours of your doses of Rosuvastatin, otherwise interactions may occur.
Is It Safe to Take Rosuvastatin During Pregnancy?
No, it’s not safe to take Rosuvastatin during pregnancy.
There is the potential for medications like Rosuvastatin to cause interactions with unborn fetuses or nursing infants, so it’s recommended not to use Rosuvastatin during pregnancy.
If you’re pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to breastfeed, be sure to talk to your practitioner before starting a prescription for Rosuvastatin.
They may be able to suggest alternative medications to Rosuvastatin without interactions that could put your child at risk.
Can I Drink Alcohol While Taking Rosuvastatin?
A good rule to follow is that if you’re taking medications listed as ‘statins’, alcohol is best to be avoided.
Although there is no immediate interaction, it is recommended to avoid taking doses of Rosuvastatin if you regularly drink 3 or more alcoholic drinks in a day.
Be sure to talk to your practitioner if you’re planning to consume alcohol while taking statin medications like Rosuvastatin. They may be able to suggest alternative medications or specific Rosuvastatin dosages that won’t be as likely to cause negative interactions or side effects.
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