Crestor

Crestor is a prescription medication used to decrease the amount of cholesterol in the body and to prevent heart disease. Crestor is in a class of medications called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, also known as statins. Crestor works by blocking the production of cholesterol in the body.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken by mouth once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects are headache, muscle aches, abdominal pain, weakness, and nausea.

Crestor is a prescription medicine used to lower "bad" cholesterol (LDL-C), increase "good" cholesterol (HDL-C) and decrease triglycerides in your blood.

• Astrazeneca

Serious side effects have been reported with Crestor. See the 'Drug Precautions' section for additional information.

The most common side effects include:

• headache
• muscle aches and pains
• abdominal pain
• weakness
• nausea

Serious side effects may include:

1. Muscle Problems. Call your health care professional right away if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially with fever. This may be an early sign of a rare muscle problem that could lead to serious kidney problems. The risk of muscle problems is greater in people who are 65 years of age or older, or who already have thyroid or kidney problems. The chance of muscle problems may be increased if you are taking certain other medicines with Crestor.
2. Liver problems. Your health care professional should 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

Additionally, memory loss and confusion have been reported with Crestor use.

This is not a complete list of side effects of Crestor. Talk to your health care professional for a complete list or if you have side effects that bother you or that do not go away.

Tell your health care professional about all medicines you take or plan to take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines may interact with Crestor, causing side effects. Especially tell your health care professional if you are taking medications for:

• your immune system
• cholesterol/triglycerides
• blood thinning
• HIV/AIDS
• preventing pregnancy

Know all of the medicines you take and what they look like. It’s always a good idea to check that you have the right prescription before you leave the pharmacy and before you take any medicine. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your health care professional.

Serious side effects have been reported with Crestor including the following:

• liver damage
• memory loss or confusion
• increase in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia)
• type 2 diabetes
• immune-mediated muscle breakdown

Certain statins can increase risk of muscle weakness as well. It is important to consult your physician to discuss the benefits and risks associated with using this medication.

Do not take Crestor if you:

• are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding 
• have liver problems
• have had an allergic reaction to Crestor or are allergic to any of its ingredients. 

The safety and effectiveness of Crestor have not been established in pediatric patients under the age of 10.

Although grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with other cholesterol-lowering medicines known as statins, leading to potentially dangerous effects, Crestor does not appear to interact with grapefruit products.

Follow dietary (food) recommendations made by your doctor and dietitian which should include a healthy diet. 

Before taking Crestor, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Tell your health care professional about all medicines you take or plan to take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. 

Tell your health care professional if you:

• have a history of muscle pain or weakness
• are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding
• drink more than 2 glasses of alcohol daily
• have liver problems
• have kidney problems
• have thyroid problems
• are Asian or of Asian descent

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category X. Crestor may harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant, stop taking Crestor and call your health care professional right away

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Crestor can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby.

Take Crestor exactly as prescribed by your health care professional.

Crestor comes in tablet form and only be taken whole. Do not crush, split, or otherwise break Crestor tablets before swallowing.

Crestor can be taken at any time of day, with or without food.

Wait at least 2 hours after taking Crestor to take an antacid that contains a combination of aluminum and magnesium hydroxide.

Do not change your dose or stop Crestor without talking to your health care professional, even if you are feeling well.

Your health care professional may do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels before and during your treatment with Crestor and your dose of Crestor may be changed based on these blood tests results.

Your health care professional may start you on a cholesterol-lowering diet before giving you Crestor. Stay on this diet when you take Crestor.

If you miss a dose of Crestor, take it as soon as you remember. However, do not take 2 doses of Crestor within 12 hours of each other.

Take Crestor exactly as prescribed by your health care professional.

The dose range for Crestor is 5 to 40 mg taken by mouth, once daily. The usual starting dose is 10-20 mg.

If you take too much of this medication, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If this medication is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store Crestor at room temperature, 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C) and in a dry place.
• If your health care professional tells you to stop treatment or if your medicine is out of date, throw the medicine away.
• Keep Crestor and all medicines in a secure place and out of the reach of children.