Crestor

Crestor belongs to a family of statin drugs, which are taken to treat hyperlipidaemia or high blood cholesterol.

The active ingredient of Crestor is called rosuvastatin, which is a type of statin. Statins lower your cholesterol levels by reducing the amount of LDLs (lipoprotein transporters which deposit cholesterol in the arteries) and triglycerides (fatty substances) in the bloodstream. In addition, statins increase the amount of HDLs, which are good as they remove cholesterol from the cells and arteries and carry it to the liver.

Yes. To make the treatment as effective as possible, you should make your diet healthier. You need to reduce the amount of high cholesterol and high fat foods you consume, and undertake more exercise. You should be able to receive advice from ZAVA or your doctor on how to control your diet whilst taking Crestor.

You should quit smoking if you have high blood cholesterol. Smoking can contribute to causing high blood cholesterol levels. To make the treatment as effective as possible, you need to avoid smoking or second -hand smoking. To get advice on how to quit, talk to your GP.

You can drink within the recommended limits of alcohol while taking Crestor. But this medication shouldn’t be used if you drink excessive amounts of alcohol.

You can ask ZAVA or your GP if you tend to drink regularly and heavily, or if you’re concerned about this matter.

Grapefruit contains chemicals which may increase the amount of statins in the blood. This will not make the treatment more effective and can even cause some serious damage, so avoid eating grapefruit whilst taking rosuvastatin.

This will depend on what’s in your vitamin tablets. You should tell a pharmacist that your Crestor medication may interact with nicotinic acid or preparations containing nicotinic acid.

You must have a prescription to take Crestor. It could be prescribed as a treatment for patients with high blood cholesterol, or as a preventative measure to reduce hardening of the arteries. Crestor does not tend to be suitable for patients over 70 or children. You should not take Crestor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. For a full and comprehensive list of who can and can’t take Crestor, check the “Warnings tab”.

Yes, you can obtain this from ZAVA or your GP.

Since high blood cholesterol has no real symptoms in the first place, it can be difficult to tell whether treatment is working. Your GP will usually arrange a blood test around 3 months after you start treatment to see if your levels have reduced by the right amount.

Cholesterol levels will decrease within the first few months of treatment. The risk of heart attack will be reduced by about 10% after the first year, rising to around 33% after three years.

The 5mg tablets are yellow and round. The 10mg and 20mg tablets are pink and round. The 40mg tablets are pink and oval. All the tablets are marked with the dosage

You will usually be started off with a 5mg daily dose. This may be increased by your doctor depending on how well you respond to the treatment. The maximum daily dosage is 40mg. The maximum daily dosage for children is 20mg.

You should take your tablet at the same time daily with a full glass of water. Swallow the tablet whole. You can take the tablet with or without food.

If you forget a tablet, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is near the time of your next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and continue treatment as normal.

If you overdose, seek medical assistance immediately.

Rosuvastatin is the active substance in Crestor. The tablets contain rosuvastatin calcium equivalent to 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg or 40 mg of rosuvastatin, depending on the dosage of the tablet. The tablets also contain lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, calcium phosphate, crospovidone, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, triacetin, titanium dioxide (E171). The Crestor 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg tablets also contain red iron oxide (E172). The crestor 5 mg film-coated tablets also contain yellow iron oxide (E172).

• Allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, swollen face, lips, tongue and throat, severely itchy skin)
• Prolonged and unexplained muscle aches and pains (this may develop into potentially life threatening muscle damage)

• Headache
• Stomach pain
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Muscle pain
• Feeling weak
• Dizziness

• Rash, itching or other skin reactions
• High protein levels in the urine (this will usually return to normal over the course of the treatment, or at least once treatment has ended)

• Severe allergic reaction
• Muscle damage
• Severe stomach pain (inflamed pancreas)
• Increased liver enzymes in the blood
• Jaundice
• Hepatitis
• Traces of blood in the urine
• Damage to nerves in the legs and arms
• Joint pain
• Memory loss
• Breast enlargement

If you experience any of these side effects (or any others) and are concerned, you should talk to your doctor.

• You are allergic to Crestor
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding
• You have liver disease
• You have severe kidney problems
• You have unexplained and prolonged muscle aches or pains
• You are taking ciclosporin (used after organ transplants)

• Your thyroid gland is not working properly
• You drink heavily
• You are of Asian origin
• You take fibrates (other medicines to lower cholesterol)

• You are under 10 years of age
• You are over 70 years of age
• You are taking HIV treatment
• You are under 18 (you should not be taking the 40mg dosage)

• Ciclosporin (used after organ transplants)
• Warfarin (or any other blood thinners)
• Fibrates (gemfibrozil, fenofibrate: used to lower cholesterol)
• Indigestion remedies
• Erythromycin (antibiotic)
• Contraceptive pill
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Ritonavir, Lopinavir, Atazanavir (used to treat HIV infection)

Crestor should not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery. However, do not undertake these activities before you know how Crestor affects you.

Crestor contains lactose. You should inform your doctor if your body is intolerant to some sugars.