Rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin is a statin drug. It is also known by the brand names: Crestor, Sandos (AU), Ezallor, or Rosuvastatin Calcium.

Tablets with 10 milligrams of rosuvastatin.

It acts by working on the liver to stop it making cholesterol. It starts to work within a week to reduce cholesterol, but it can take up to a month to achieve its full effect.[1]

A doctor may prescribe rosuvastatin for diabetes or kidney disease, or if there is family history of rheumatoid arthritis or heart disease[1]. These factors, and having too much cholesterol (such as high LDL), increase risk of heart problems. Rosuvastatin is used to lower high blood cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)[1]. The drug is also used to prevent strokes and cardiovascular disease in people with high risk[2]. Common side effects are abdominal pain, nausea and headaches. Serious side effects, though uncommon, are type 2 diabetes and liver conditions.

Rosuvastatin is not recommended in pregnancy in many countries.

Rosuvastatin is not recommended in pregnancy (US[3]: X, UK[1]: X, AU: D). Someone taking this medicine should seek advice from their doctor or pharmacist[4] if they try to become pregnant or if pregnancy occurs. They can help balance the risks and the benefits of this medicine during pregnancy.

The drug was patented in 1991. It was approved for medical use in the United States twelve years later.

Side effects

The common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people[1]. These are abdominal pain, headaches, feeling dizzy, and nausea. It might also cause constipation and protein in the urine.

Less than 1 in 1,000 people have serious side effects to the drug[1]. These are type 2 diabetes and liver conditions.

In rare cases, its possible to experience a serious allergic reaction (severe anaphylaxis) to the drug.


Allergic reactions can develop:[5]

  • rash
  • hives
  • itching
  • difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
  • hoarseness
  • numbness or tingling in fingers or toes


This medicine can cause serious allergic reactions which require emergency treatment. Make sure the signs of these reactions are known: read allergic reaction symptoms of drugs.

Conflicts (caution with other conditions/medicines)[1][6]

Rosuvastatin is not suitable for use if there is a history of allergic reactions to the drug, or other statins. Adverse reactions might include muscle pain while taking the statin.[1] Drinking large amounts of alcohol interacts with the drug negatively. In these cases, there might be better treatment options. These should be reported to the prescribing doctor before starting.

The doctor who prescribed the drug should know about occuring pregnancy and breastfeeding, and other drug interactions or ongoing conditions.

Ongoing conditions

There are many conditions that make rosuvastatin dangerous to take[1]. These are:

Other drug interactions

Some medicines can affect the way that rosuvastatin works, and increase the chances of side effects:

If taking this medicine and another (conflicting) medicine is needed, the doctor may:

  • prescribe a lower dose of rosuvastatin
  • prescribe a different statin
  • recommend that taking rosuvastatin stops for a while


  • LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) and lDL (little L)
  • Beta blocker

References
  1. "About rosuvastatin". nhs.uk. 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  2. "Rosuvastatin Calcium Monograph". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  3. "CRESTOR (rosuvastatin calcium) - accessdata.fda.gov" (PDF). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  4. "Healthdirect Rosuvastatin (Sandoz)". Hethdirect.au.gov. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 13 (help)
  6. "DailyMed - CRESTOR- rosuvastatin calcium tablet, film coated". dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2022-09-15.


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