Rosuvastatin
About Rosuvastatin
Rosuvastatin helps reduce bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, LDL) and triglyceride levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke in the future. When the blood's cholesterol levels are out of balance (unhealthy), it can lead to high cholesterol, sometimes referred to as hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia. High blood cholesterol causes your arteries to get smaller and become blocked, which ultimately leads to cardiac conditions like heart attacks and strokes.
Rosuvastatin contains rosuvastatin, which works by blocking liver enzymes, causing the liver to make less cholesterol. Thus, Rosuvastatin lowers the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood when lifestyle changes (like a low-fat diet) on their own have failed. It also improves your body’s ability to remove bad cholesterol from your blood.
Not everyone who is taking Rosuvastatin will get these side effects. The possible side effects of Rosuvastatin may include myalgia (muscle pain), asthenia (fatigue), nausea, headache, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, and daytime drowsiness. Most of these side effects of Rosuvastatin do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor.
Take Rosuvastatin as advised. Your physician will decide the dosage based on your medical condition. You can take Rosuvastatin with or without food. It is advised not to take more than the recommended dose of Rosuvastatin. Do not chew, crush, or break the medicine. It is crucial to have your lipid profile checked regularly.
Inform your physician if you are allergic to Rosuvastatin. Before starting the dose of Rosuvastatin, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes, severe lung disease, or have musculoskeletal disorders (like myopathy and rhabdomyolysis). You should avoid taking Rosuvastatin with immune system affecting medicine (cyclosporine) or anti-HIV medicines (lopinavir, ritonavir, or atazanavir) as it might have a serious effect.
Rosuvastatin is only one part of a treatment program that should include a healthy low-fat diet, regular exercise and weight reduction. You can normally eat while taking this medicine, but avoid high-fat foods. It is advised to avoid smoking and alcohol intake, as they can lead to other side effects.
Uses of Rosuvastatin
• Cholesterol Management: Rosuvastatin is primarily used to lower LDL cholesterol (commonly known as 'bad' cholesterol) and triglycerides in the blood, reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: By lowering cholesterol levels, Rosuvastatin significantly decreases the chances of heart attacks and strokes in individuals with cardiovascular conditions or risk factors.
• Familial Hypercholesterolemia Treatment: Rosuvastatin is prescribed to manage lipid levels in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder leading to very high cholesterol levels.
• Improving HDL Cholesterol: Rosuvastatin also boosts HDL cholesterol ('good' cholesterol), promoting better heart health.
• Preventing Atherosclerosis: By maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, Rosuvastatin helps prevent plaque build-up in arteries, supporting overall vascular health and circulation.
Medicinal Benefits
- Rosuvastatin lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary events like heart attack, stroke, and heart-related chest pain (angina). Rosuvastatin is beneficial in patients who are at high risk of these events.
- Rosuvastatin plays a vital role in slowing atherosclerosis progress (blocked artery walls of the heart due to fat/lipid deposition leading to heart attack and stroke) in adult patients.
- Rosuvastatin reduces the ‘bad’ cholesterol and increases the ‘good’ cholesterol by blocking our body’s production of ‘bad’ cholesterol. Thus, improves your body’s ability to remove bad cholesterol from your blood.
- It is also prescribed in children (aged eight years or more) suffering from familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic disease resulting in high cholesterol) along with lipid-lowering pills and other dietary measures.
Directions for Use
• Rosuvastatin can be taken with or without food. • It is recommended to take Rosuvastatin once daily or as advised by your doctor. • Swallow Rosuvastatin as a whole with a glass of water. • If you have trouble swallowing the medicine, open it and sprinkle the contents over a small amount (tablespoon) of soft food (curd, honey, tomato ketchup, and vanilla or chocolate flavour pudding) and consume it. • Do not crush or chew this medication.
Storage
Side Effects of Rosuvastatin
- Muscle pain
- Lack of energy
- Nausea
- Headache
- Abdominal pain
- Muscle pain
- Weakness
- Daytime sleepiness
Drug Warnings
Tell your physician if you are allergic to Rosuvastatin. Patients with proteinuria (protein in urine) or haematuria (blood in urine) should tell the doctor before taking the Rosuvastatin, as it might require dose adjustment. It is recommended that you should have a liver enzyme test regularly if you are regularly taking Rosuvastatin. A prolonged intake of Rosuvastatin may cause muscular disorders like myopathy and rhabdomyolysis with kidney damage.
Inform your doctor if you are an alcoholic or are smoking, as excess alcohol intake and affected by liver disease may cause serious side effects. Caution should be exercised if you are taking any blood thinners or anticoagulants, such as warfarin or coumarin. A 2-hour gap should be maintained between the intake of Rosuvastatin and antacids, such as magnesium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide. Increases in HbA1c and fasting glucose levels can be observed in individuals who regularly take Rosuvastatin. Therefore, you should inform the doctor before undergoing these diabetes tests.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult their physician before taking Rosuvastatin, as it can have some harmful effects on the baby (foetus), so your doctor will weigh the benefits and any potential risks before prescribing it to you. Rosuvastatin is safe for use in children above 8 years of age suffering from familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic disease resulting in high cholesterol), along with lipid-lowering pills and other dietary measures. Your paediatrician will decide the dose of the medicine based on your child's age and body weight.
Store Rosuvastatin at room temperature. You are advised not to chew, crush or break the medicine. Keep the medicine out of reach of children. Do not take more than the recommended dose of medicine, as it can cause undesirable effects. It is always important to check for the expiry of the medicine. Discard the medicine if it reaches the expiry date.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Rosuvastatin is known to contra-indicate when taken along with cyclosporine (organ transplants medicine), warfarin or clopidogrel (blood thinner), fibrates (gemfibrozil, fenofibrate), a medicine used to lower cholesterol (ezetimibe), antacid (aluminium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide), antibiotics (erythromycin, fusidic acid), oral contraceptive pills, regorafenib (anti-cancer), anti-viral or anti-HIV drug (ritonavir, lopinavir, atazanavir, simeprevir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir, dasabuvir, velpatasvir, grazoprevir, elbasvir, glecaprevir, and pibrentsavir).
Drug-Food Interactions: Alcoholic beverages should be avoided with Rosuvastatin.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Rosuvastatin may interact with disease conditions, including neuromuscular disorders (Myopathy, Myoneural Disorder), thyroid gland problems (Hypothyroidism), and Renal Dysfunction.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou are recommended not to consume alcohol along with Rosuvastatin to avoid unpleasant side-effects like drowsiness, dizziness, or sleepiness. It may also lead to a life-threatening condition like coma if taken with excessive alcohol.
Pregnancy
unsafeRosuvastatin can have some harmful effects on the baby (foetus), so your doctor will weigh the benefits and any potential risks before prescribing it to you.
Breast Feeding
unsafeRosuvastatin is known to pass into the breast milk and may cause some degree of sedation in the baby. So, if you note any of the following signs in the baby let your doctor know about this.
Driving
consult your doctorIt is unknown whether Rosuvastatin will affect your ability to drive or operate a machine. Please consult your physician.
Liver
cautionRosuvastatin to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of liver disease. The dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor.
Kidney
cautionRosuvastatin to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of kidney disease. The dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor.
Children
consult your doctorRosuvastatin can be prescribed in the children (aged 8 years or more) suffering from familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic disease resulting in high cholesterol) along with lipid-lowering pills and other dietary measures.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Keep your weight under control with a BMI of 19.5-24.9.
- Do regular physical activity or exercise.
- Opt for a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy products.
- Quitting smoking is the best strategy to lower the risk of heart disease.
- Avoid chronic stress. Try to enjoy and spend time with your loved ones to cope with stress and practice mindfulness techniques.
- Including heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid-containing food drinks in your daily diet.
Special Advise
- Your doctor may advise on regular monitoring of liver function tests to monitor the liver enzymes.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
High cholesterol: There are two types of cholesterol found in our body, good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) and bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein). Good cholesterol is good for our heart and helps in reducing the bad cholesterol from our body. On the other hand, excess of bad cholesterol (LDL) leads to the risk of heart diseases like heart attack and stroke. High cholesterol known as hyperlipidaemia or dyslipidaemia occurs when there is an excess of the unhealthy balance of cholesterol in the blood. When there is a high level of cholesterol in the blood, your arteries get narrowed and clogged which finally contributes to heart diseases, like stroke and heart attack. Eating high-fat or high-cholesterol-containing food/drinks and genetic factors are the primary causes of high cholesterol.
FAQs
Rosuvastatin is used for the treatment of Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), prevention of heart attack, and prevention of stroke.
Rosuvastatin works by blocking liver enzymes, causing the liver to make less cholesterol. So, Rosuvastatin increases the uptake and breakdown by the liver of cholesterol already in the blood. Thus, Rosuvastatin lowers the levels of lipids known as cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood when lifestyle changes (like a low-fat diet) on their own have failed.
No, Rosuvastatin should not be stopped even if you feel better as it lead to worsening of your condition. Please consult your doctor if you feel better and do as advised.
Rosuvastatin can cause liver damage in very rare cases, specially when alcohol is consumed along with Rosuvastatin. Caution should be taken in patients who have any underlining liver problem or history of any liver impairment and also inform your doctor before taking Rosuvastatin so that dose is adjusted accordingly.
It is unlikely that Rosuvastatin affects fertility in men or women. However, there is not enough evidence to say for sure. Rosuvastatin should be avoided if your pregnant or planning for pregnancy. For best advice, consult your doctor.
Yes, taking Rosuvastatin can cause muscle aches or pains especially if you feel unwell or have a fever. Also please tell your doctor if you have a muscle weakness that is constant.
Yes, Rosuvastatin can be taken at night or any other time with or without food. It is better to take it at fixed time.
Yes, Rosuvastatin can cause dizziness. It is advised to avoid driving or operate any heavy machinery while taking Rosuvastatin. In case you feel dizzy or lightheaded, it is advised to rest for some time until you feel better.
Before starting a dose of Rosuvastatin, tell your doctor if you have liver/kidney problems, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes, severe lung disease, blood in your urine (haematuria), protein in your urine (proteinuria), or a musculoskeletal disorder (like myopathy and rhabdomyolysis). You should avoid taking Rosuvastatin with an immune system-affecting medicine (cyclosporine) or anti-HIV medicines (lopinavir, ritonavir, or atazanavir), as these might have serious effects.
Usually, it is not safe to take Rosuvastatin with fusidic acid as it may lead to muscle weakness, tenderness or pain. Please consult your doctor before taking Rosuvastatin along with fusidic acid.
Rosuvastatin reduces the risk of coronary events such as heart attacks, strokes, angina, or chest pain related to the heart. For patients who are more likely to experience these events, Rosuvastatin is helpful. In addition, it is prescribed in conjunction with lipid-lowering medications and other dietary measures for children (eight years of age or older) with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disease characterized by elevated cholesterol. In adult patients with atherosclerosis, blocked artery walls of the heart are caused by fat/lipid deposition that results in heart attacks and strokes. Rosuvastatin is essential in reducing the disease progression.
Rosuvastatin contains Rosuvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statins) which helps lower bad cholesterol.
You are recommended to take Rosuvastatin for the duration prescribed by the physician. Talk to the doctor if you have any concerns.
There is no evidence that Rosuvastatin may cause weight gain. Consult the doctor if you notice weight gain during treatment with Rosuvastatin.
Rosuvastatin may lower the supply of energy to the muscle cells which could lead to tiredness. Please consult the doctor if experience tiredness whilst on treatment with Rosuvastatin.
You can normally eat while taking Rosuvastatin. However, to prevent high cholesterol, avoid high-fat or high-cholesterol-containing foods such as fatty meat, processed food and fried food. Instead, choose a low-fat and low-cholesterol diet. Also, follow diet and exercises as recommended by the doctor.
Rosuvastatin might cause memory loss in some cases. This is usually rare and might disappear after discontinuation. However, consult the doctor if you experience any signs of memory loss.
Rosuvastatin may cause side effects such as muscle problems, including muscle breakdown, which might be serious in some people and rarely cause kidney damage. Therefore, seek immediate medical attention if you experience unexplained muscle pain, weakness or tenderness, especially if you have a fever or feel more tired than usual while taking Rosuvastatin. The chances of getting muscle problems are higher if you are taking certain other medicines along with Rosuvastatin, are 65 years or older, have thyroid or kidney problems, or are taking higher doses of rosuvastatin.
To know if Rosuvastatin is beneficial to you, you can take a lipid profile test. This test helps measure the amount of cholesterol/fat levels in the body. A decrease in cholesterol levels may indicate that Rosuvastatin is beneficial to you. However, it might take more than a few weeks to notice a difference in cholesterol levels.
Few studies indicate that Rosuvastatin may increase blood sugar levels because it can stop the body’s insulin from working well. This might increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Inform the doctor if you are diabetic; the doctor might monitor your condition regularly.
Rosuvastatin can be taken irrespective of food.
Rosuvastatin may cause side effects such as nausea, weakness, headache, abdominal pain, lack of energy, and muscle aches. Consult the doctor if the side effects become bothersome.
Before stating Rosuvastatin, inform the doctor if you are allergic to any of its components, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have any other medical conditions or are taking other medicines.
Certain medicines when taken with Rosuvastatin may increase skeletal muscle effects. Therefore, consult the doctor before taking other medicines while on treatment with Rosuvastatin. The doctor may adjust the dose if needed.
No, do not crush or chew Rosuvastatin. Swallow it as a whole with water.
