Crestor (Rosuvastatin Calcium)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Crestor Used For?
Crestor contains rosuvastatin calcium and belongs to a group of medicines called statins. It works by lowering ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) and raising ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) when diet and exercise alone aren’t enough.
Primary Uses
Crestor is used to lower high cholesterol levels. Even if you have normal cholesterol, it can also reduce your risk of stroke or heart attack if you’re a man 50 or older, or a woman 60 or older with at least 2 risk factors such as high blood pressure, low good cholesterol, smoking, or family history of early heart disease.
How It Works
Crestor is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor that helps lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides while raising good cholesterol. It doesn’t reduce cholesterol from dietary fat, so you must continue following a low-fat diet, control your weight, and exercise regularly while taking it.
Good to know: Crestor helps manage your cholesterol levels, but you’ll need to continue healthy lifestyle habits like low-fat diet and regular exercise for best results.
How to Take Crestor
Take Crestor exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The dose depends on your condition and ethnic background, and your doctor will monitor your cholesterol levels to adjust if needed.
Dosage Instructions
The usual dose is 5mg to 20mg taken once daily, but some patients may need up to 40mg once daily. For high cholesterol, doctors typically start with 5mg or 10mg daily. For stroke/heart attack prevention with normal cholesterol, the starting dose may be 20mg. Swallow each tablet whole with water. You can take it any time of day, with or without food. Take it at the same time each day to help remember.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember, as long as it’s more than 6 hours before your next dose. If it’s less than 6 hours, wait until your next scheduled dose. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Important: Do not increase or adjust your Crestor dose yourself. Your doctor will monitor your cholesterol and adjust the dose if needed. The maximum daily dose is 40mg.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- headache
- constipation
- dizziness
- nausea (feeling sick)
- stomach pain
- unusual tiredness or general weakness
- muscle pain
- stiff or painful joints
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- significant increase in urination, hunger, or thirst
- muscle aches, tenderness or weakness not from exercise (especially with fever)
- difficulty breathing or coughing
- swelling of face, eyelids or lips
- widespread rash with high fever and enlarged lymph nodes
- skin rash or mouth sores
Important Warnings
Crestor is not suitable for everyone. There are important conditions and situations where you should not take this medication.
Who Should Not Take Crestor
Do not take Crestor if you’re allergic to rosuvastatin calcium or any ingredients, if you’re pregnant or become pregnant while taking it, if you’re breastfeeding, or if you have active liver disease or elevated liver enzymes. Do not take the 40mg dose if you have low thyroid levels, personal/family history of muscle disorders, previous muscle problems from other cholesterol medicines, heavy alcohol use, Asian heritage, are taking fibrates or fusidic acid, have severe kidney problems, or other situations that may increase Crestor blood levels.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to other statins, liver or kidney problems, low thyroid levels, personal/family history of muscle disorders, history of muscle problems from other cholesterol medicines, unexplained muscle aches or pains, or if you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Do not take Crestor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking Crestor, stop immediately and see your doctor. Ask your doctor about effective contraception methods. The medicine may pass into breast milk and could harm your baby.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Crestor and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines, vitamins, and supplements you’re taking.
- ciclosporin (used after organ transplant)
- antacids (take Crestor 2 hours before or after antacids)
- warfarin (blood thinner)
- clopidogrel or ticagrelor (prevent blood clots)
- gemfibrozil, fenofibrate or ezetimibe (lower blood lipids)
- fusidic acid (treats infections)
- febuxostat (treats high uric acid)
- teriflunomide (treats multiple sclerosis)
- antiviral medications like atazanavir, darunavir, ritonavir
- anti-cancer medications like regorafenib and darolutamide
- eltrombopag (increases platelet count)
- tafamidis (treats protein disorder)
Alcohol & Driving
Be cautious with alcohol consumption and driving while taking Crestor, as it may affect some people differently.
Alcohol
Tell your doctor if you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption may not be safe for patients taking Crestor.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Crestor affects you. While it generally doesn’t cause problems, Crestor may cause dizziness in some people.
Storage
Keep tablets in the blister pack until it’s time to take them. Store in a cool, dry place below 30°C, away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. Don’t store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills. Keep out of reach of children. Take expired or unwanted medicine to any pharmacy for safe disposal.
Overdose Information
If you think you or anyone else has taken too much Crestor, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your doctor will monitor your cholesterol and triglyceride levels during treatment to see how well Crestor is working. The medication helps lower cholesterol levels, but you may need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines for the rest of your life.
Yes, you can take Crestor with or without food. It can be taken at any time of day, but try to take it at the same time each day to help you remember.
Do not stop taking Crestor unless you have discussed it with your doctor. If you stop taking Crestor, your cholesterol and triglyceride levels may rise again. Crestor helps control your condition but doesn’t cure it.
Tell your doctor if you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption may not be safe in patients taking Crestor, especially if you have a history of heavy alcohol use.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, as long as it’s more than 6 hours before your next dose is due. If it’s less than 6 hours until your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose as normal. Never take a double dose.
Crestor can be used to reduce stroke and heart attack risk in men 50 or older and women 60 or older who have risk factors. However, your doctor will consider your individual medical conditions and may adjust the dose accordingly.
Yes, while taking Crestor you need to follow a low-fat diet, control your weight, and exercise regularly. Crestor doesn’t reduce cholesterol that comes from fat in food, so lifestyle changes are important for the medication to work effectively.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.