CRESTOR Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of CRESTOR?

CRESTOR® (rosuvastatin) may cause serious side effects, including:

Muscle pain, tenderness, and weakness (myopathy)

Muscle problems, including muscle breakdown, can be serious in some people and rarely cause kidney damage that can lead to death.

Tell your doctor right away if:

  • You have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you have a fever or feel more tired than usual, while you take CRESTOR
  • You have muscle problems that do not go away even after your doctor told you to stop taking CRESTOR. Your doctor may do further tests to diagnose the cause of your muscle problems

Your chances of getting muscle problems are higher if you:

  • Are taking certain other medicines while you take CRESTOR
  • Are 65 years of age or older
  • Are of Asian descent
  • Have thyroid problems (hypothyroidism) that are not controlled (See Taking Crestor tab)
  • Have kidney problems
  • Are taking higher doses of CRESTOR

Liver problems

Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start taking CRESTOR and if you have symptoms of liver problems while you take CRESTOR.

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms of liver problems:

  • Feel unusually tired or weak
  • Loss of appetite
  • Upper belly pain
  • Dark urine
  • Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes

Protein and blood in the urine

CRESTOR may cause you to have protein and blood in your urine. If you develop protein or blood in your urine, your doctor may decrease your dose of CRESTOR.

Increase in blood sugar (glucose) levels

CRESTOR may cause an increase in your blood sugar levels.

The most common side effects may include:

  • The most common side effects may include headache, nausea, muscle aches and pains, weakness, and constipation
  • Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away
  • These are not all the possible side effects of CRESTOR. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT CRESTOR TABLETS

  • CRESTOR is not right for everyone.
  • Do not take CRESTOR if you have liver problems or are allergic to rosuvastatin or any of the ingredients in CRESTOR.
  • Call your healthcare provider right away if you have unexplained muscle pain or weakness, especially with fever; have muscle problems that do not go away even after your healthcare provider told you to stop taking CRESTOR; feel unusually tired; or have loss of appetite, upper belly pain, dark urine, or yellowing of skin or eyes. These could be signs of rare but serious side effects.
  • Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your liver before starting treatment and if you have symptoms of liver problems while taking CRESTOR.
  • CRESTOR may cause you to have protein and blood in your urine.
  • Elevated blood sugar levels have been reported with statins, including CRESTOR.
  • The most common side effects may include headache, nausea, muscle aches, weakness, and constipation.
  • Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. CRESTOR may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how CRESTOR works.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. CRESTOR can pass in breast milk and may harm your baby. Do not breastfeed while taking CRESTOR.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider for more information about CRESTOR.

Approved Uses

  • Prescription CRESTOR is used:
    • to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular (CV) events, such as death from cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke or the need for procedures to improve blood flow to the heart called arterial revascularization in adults who do not have known heart disease but do have certain additional risk factors
  • CRESTOR is used along with diet to:
    • lower the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or “bad” cholesterol in adults with primary hyperlipidemia
    • slow the buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) in the walls of blood vessels
    • treat adults and children 8 years of age and older with high blood cholesterol due to heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), an inherited condition that causes high levels of LDL-C
    • along with other cholesterol lowering treatments or alone if such treatments are unavailable in adults and children 7 years of age and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), an inherited condition that causes high levels of LDL-C
    • to treat adults with primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (an inherited condition that causes high levels of cholesterol and fat) or hypertriglyceridemia

Please read the Patient Information and full Prescribing Information.

You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products.

References:

  • 1a 1b 1c 1d CRESTOR® (rosuvastatin) [prescribing information]. Wilmington, DE: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP; 2024.
  • ^ Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) [prescribing information]. Morgantown, WV: Viatris Specialty LLC, 2024.
  • ^ Zocor® (simvastatin) [Prescribing Information]. Jersey City, NJ: Organon & Co.; 2023.
  • ^ Davidson M, Ma P, Stein EA, et al. Comparison of effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin in patients with type IIa or IIb hypercholesterolemia. Am J Cardiol. 2002;89:268–275.
  • ^ Schwartz GG, Bolognese MA, Tremblay BP, et al. Efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin in patients with hypercholesterolemia and a high risk of coronary heart disease: A randomized, controlled trial. Am Heart J. 2004;148:e4.
  • ^ Olsson A, Istad H, Luurila O, et al. Effects of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin compared over 52 weeks of treatment in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Am Heart J. 2002;144:1044-1051.

Reference:

^ Data on File, US-62651. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND APPROVED USES FOR CRESTOR TABLETS

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