FAQs

What is CRESTOR?

CRESTOR® (rosuvastatin) is a type of cholesterol-lowering medicine known as a “statin.” When diet and exercise alone aren’t enough to get cholesterol levels to goal, CRESTOR is used for lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and increasing “good” HDL cholesterol.

Considering CRESTOR

Is CRESTOR a statin?

CRESTOR is one of several cholesterol-lowering medications known as a “statin.” Statins are used to lower cholesterol when diet and exercise alone are not enough to help people get to goal.

Considering CRESTOR

Who should not take CRESTOR?

Some people should NOT take CRESTOR. Do not take CRESTOR if you:

• Have liver problems
• Are allergic to rosuvastatin or any of the ingredients in CRESTOR. Symptoms of allergic reactions include rash, itching, hives, and swelling

Is CRESTOR Right for You?

What is CRESTOR used for?

CRESTOR is a prescription medicine used along with diet to lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol in adults with primary hyperlipidemia to lower cholesterol when diet and exercise alone aren’t enough to get cholesterol to goal. CRESTOR is also 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.
• To slow the buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) in the walls of blood vessels
• To 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)
• Along with diet for the treatment of adults with:
  • Primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (an inherited condition that causes high levels of cholesterol and fat)
  • Hypertriglyceridemia

It is not known if CRESTOR is safe and effective in children younger than 8 years of age with HeFH or children younger than 7 years of age with HoFH or in children with other types of hyperlipidemias (other than HeFH or HoFH).

How CRESTOR May Help

How does CRESTOR work?

CRESTOR is a cholesterol-lowering medicine that works to help lower cholesterol in 2 ways:

• Blocks an enzyme in the liver, causing the liver to make less cholesterol
• Increases the uptake and breakdown in the liver of cholesterol already in the blood

How CRESTOR Works

How may CRESTOR help?

CRESTOR is a cholesterol-lowering medicine that has been proven in clinical studies to help people get their cholesterol levels to healthy goals:

• Compared to another cholesterol-lowering medicine, Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium), CRESTOR got more high-risk patients’^[*^] LDL cholesterol to a goal of under 100 mg/dL^[†]
• Along with diet, CRESTOR has been shown to help lower LDL cholesterol by up to 55% (at 20-mg dose versus 7% with placebo)
• CRESTOR is also FDA approved to slow the progression of plaque buildup in the arteries, as part of a treatment plan to lower cholesterol to goal

How CRESTOR May Help

*^Definition of high-risk patients: Patients aged 18 years or older with high cholesterol and a history of narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries (coronary heart disease) or evidence of plaque buildup in their arteries that can narrow the arteries over time or a high risk of developing coronary heart disease over the next 10 years.

^†^In high-risk patients, per National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III) Treatment Guidelines, bad LDL cholesterol goal is <100 mg/dL.

What safety information should I know about CRESTOR?

CRESTOR 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 (see "Taking CRESTOR" tab), are 65 years of age or older, are of Asian descent, have thyroid problems (hypothyroidism) that are not controlled, have kidney problems, or 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 healthcare provider may decrease your dose of CRESTOR

Increase in blood sugar (glucose) levels

CRESTOR may cause an increase in your blood sugar levels.

Most Common Side Effects

The most common side effects may include headache, nausea, muscle aches and pains, weakness, and constipation.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

CRESTOR Side Effects

How should I take CRESTOR?

If your doctor has selected the cholesterol-lowering medicine CRESTOR to help manage your high cholesterol, you should take CRESTOR exactly as your doctor tells you to take it. Take CRESTOR, by mouth, one time each day. You can take CRESTOR any time of day, with or without food. The CRESTOR tablet should be swallowed whole. Do not take 2 doses of CRESTOR within 12 hours of each other.

How to Take CRESTOR

How soon will CRESTOR work?

You may see results for lowering LDL cholesterol as soon as 2–4 weeks after starting the cholesterol-lowering medicine CRESTOR. Your results may vary. On follow-up visits, your doctor may choose to adjust your dosage to help you reach your cholesterol goal.

How CRESTOR Works

What are the most common side effects of CRESTOR?

The most common side effects with CRESTOR may include:

• Headache, nausea, muscle aches and pains, weakness, and constipation

CRESTOR Side Effects

What if I forget to take CRESTOR?

If you miss a dose of CRESTOR, take your next dose at your normal scheduled time. Do not take 2 doses of CRESTOR within 12 hours of each other. If you take too much CRESTOR or overdose, call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away or contact a live Poison Center expert right away at 1800-222-1222. Advice is also available online at poisonhelp.org.

How CRESTOR Works

Are there reasons I should ask my doctor for “brand-name” CRESTOR?

It is important to know that no two drugs in one class are exactly the same. In fact, not all medications work the same for all patients, including the generic equivalents. When your doctor prescribes a medication, it is because he/she has decided it is the right one for you.

If you prefer to keep taking brand-name CRESTOR, talk with your doctor. He or she can request brand-name CRESTOR on your prescription.

Getting Brand-Name CRESTOR rather than a Generic

Are there reasons I should ask my pharmacist for “brand-name” CRESTOR?

If it’s not CRESTOR, let the pharmacist know. At the pharmacy, your brand-name prescription for CRESTOR may be switched automatically to a generic.^[‡] That’s why you need to remember to specifically ask your pharmacist for CRESTOR, as your doctor prescribed.

Keep in mind that the Savings Card can only be used with brand-name CRESTOR.

Getting Brand-Name CRESTOR rather than a Generic

^‡^Pharmacy rules and local laws may apply.