How Rosuvastatin works

Rosuvastatin is a lipid-lowering medication (statin). It works by blocking an enzyme (HMG-CoA-reductase) that is required in the body to make cholesterol. It thus lowers "bad" cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides and raises "good" cholesterol (HDL).

Side Effects

Headache, Stomach pain, Constipation, Feeling sick, Muscle pain, Weakness, Dizziness, Increased glucose level in blood

Usage

Rosuvastatin is used in the treatment of high cholesterol.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Rosuvastatin safe?

Clinical studies have shown that Rosuvastatinw is well tolerated in patients even after long-term use and is relatively safe. However, it has its own side effects and hence should only be used in the dose, and for the duration as advised by your doctor.

Q. Is Rosuvastatin a blood thinner?

No, Rosuvastatin is not a blood thinner. It is a lipid-lowering medicine and belongs to a group of medicines known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with ibuprofen?

Rosuvastatin can be safely taken with ibuprofen. There are no reported drug-drug interactions or harmful effects when they are used together.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with magnesium?

Magnesium taken as a health supplement is not known to have any interaction with Rosuvastatin. However, taking the drug with antacids containing magnesium hydroxide can decrease the amount of Rosuvastatin in the body by half and the effectiveness of Rosuvastatin may decrease. So, antacids should be taken at least two hours after taking Rosuvastatin.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with ranitidine?

Rosuvastatin can be taken with ranitidine. There are no reported drug-drug interactions or harmful effects when they are used together.

Q. Can you take Rosuvastatin with levothyroxine?

Levothyroxine is not known to have any interaction with Rosuvastatin. Consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together as the high cholesterol could be due to hypothyroidism for which you are given levothyroxine. Rosuvastatin should be used with caution in patients having high cholesterol due to hypothyroidism especially if the underlying disease is not properly treated.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin cause weight loss?

Rosuvastatin is not known to have any effect on weight. Weight loss with this drug has only been reported by some patient and is seen in some animal studies. But there are no human research studies to show weight loss with Rosuvastatin. However, if you notice any change in body weight during therapy, consult your doctor as it could be due to some underlying condition that needs attention.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin cause diabetes?

Rosuvastatin use is seen to be associated with an increase in blood sugar levels in clinical studies. The increase is similar to as seen in a diabetic patient and you may need treatment for the same. Consult your doctor before taking Rosuvastatin if you are a diabetic.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin cause erectile dysfunction?

Rosuvastatin use is not associated with erectile dysfunction. If you have this problem, this could be due to some other underlying condition and you may need to consult a doctor.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin lower triglycerides?

Yes, Rosuvastatin can lower triglyceride levels. It also lowers total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels and increase the HDL levels.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin cause weight gain?

Rosuvastatin is not known to cause weight gain. However, if you notice any change in body weight during therapy, consult your doctor as there could be some other underlying condition that needs attention like fluid overload (water retention) in the body due to some heart, kidney or liver disease.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin cause dry mouth?

Rosuvastatin is not known to cause dry mouth. Common side effects seen with its use are musculoskeletal (bone, muscle or joint) pain, allergic reaction, headache, nausea, dyspepsia, nasopharyngitis, increased liver enzymes, increased creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level in blood, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation, joint swelling and increased glucose level in blood

Q. Does Rosuvastatin cause high blood pressure?

Rosuvastatin is not known to increase blood pressure. Common side effects seen with its use are musculoskeletal (bone, muscle or joint) pain, allergic reaction, headache, nausea, dyspepsia, nasopharyngitis, increased liver enzymes, increased creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level in blood, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation, joint swelling and increased glucose level in blood.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin cause hair loss?

Rosuvastatin use is not associated with hair loss. Common side effects seen with its use are muscle damage, musculoskeletal (bone, muscle or joint) pain, allergic reaction, headache, nausea, dyspepsia, nasopharyngitis, increased liver enzymes, increased creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level in blood, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation, joint swelling and increased glucose level in blood.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin cause muscle pain?

Muscle pain is one of the common side effects associated with Rosuvastatin use. Be careful and look for any muscle symptoms like muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness or dark colored urine. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking Rosuvastatin and immediately inform your doctor. These symptoms could be due to muscle breakdown and release of muscle proteins into the blood stream (this condition is known as rhabdomyolysis) and this can lead to problems like kidney failure.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with grapefruit juice?

Yes, Rosuvastatin can be taken with grapefruit juice. No drug-drug interactions or any harmful effects have been reported when they are used together.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with clopidogrel?

Rosuvastatin can be taken along with clopidogrel. Rosuvastatin does not interfere with the antiplatelet action of clopidogrel.However, a high dose of clopidogrel can increase the Rosuvastatin blood concentration by 2-fold causing more chances of the side effects, so a dose adjustment for Rosuvastatin may be needed.

Q. Can I use Rosuvastatin with vitamin D?

Yes, Rosuvastatin can be taken along with vitamin D. No drug-drug interactions or any harmful effects have been reported when they are used together.

Q. Can the use of Rosuvastatin increase vitamin D levels in your body?

Rosuvastatin has shown to increase vitamin D levels in many clinical research studies. In some studies, the rise has been up to three times the base level. However, the mechanism by which it increases the vitamin D levels is still not clear.

Q. Why should Rosuvastatin be taken at night?

Rosuvastatin acts by blocking an enzyme which is important for cholesterol synthesis in our body. The activity of this enzyme is more at night time, so, it is advisable to take Rosuvastatin in the evening hours after a meal or just before going to bed to have maximum effect. However, Rosuvastatin being a longer acting statin can be taken at any time of day.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with quetiapine?

Yes, Rosuvastatin can be used along with quetiapine. No drug-drug interactions or any harmful effects have been reported when they are used together.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with coenzyme q10?

Rosuvastatin can be taken with coenzyme Q10. According to some clinical studies, coenzyme Q10 can help in decreasing the muscle damage caused by Rosuvastatin while some of the studies say that it has no role in preventing muscle damage. Also, Rosuvastatin has been thought to decrease the levels of coenzyme Q10. So, it is advised sometimes to use coenzyme Q10 along with Rosuvastatin to decrease its side effects.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with diphenhydramine?

Yes, Rosuvastatin can be used along with diphenhydramine. No drug-drug interactions or any harmful effects have been reported when they are used together.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with pantoprazole?

Yes, Rosuvastatin can be used along with pantoprazole. No drug-drug interactions or any harmful effects have been reported when they are used together.

Q. Is it safe to take Rosuvastatin with gemfibrozil?

Concomitant use of Rosuvastatin with gemfibrozil should be avoided. Gemfibrozil can increase the blood levels of Rosuvastatin and damage your muscles. If you are taking both the drugs, be careful and look for any muscle symptoms. Inform your doctor if you have muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness or dark colored urine.

Q. What is the benefit of taking Rosuvastatin with ezetimibe?

Rosuvastatin, when used with ezetimibe, helps in a better decrease in LDLcholesterol and triglyceride levels compared to Rosuvastatin alone and without any increase in side effects. This combination is very beneficial in high-risk cardiovascular disease patients as its use can decrease the risk of atherosclerotic plaque rupture and heart attack. However, ezetimibe can increase the blood levels of Rosuvastatin, so a dose adjustment may be needed when they are used together.

Q. Is Rosuvastatin useful in the management of cancer?

Rosuvastatin is not approved for use in the treatment of cancer. Some research studies have shown that Rosuvastatin can stop the growth of cancer cells and when given after surgery, it can kill the remaining cancer cells if any and can help in preventing cancer from coming back. Clinical research studies are going on for its use in patients of colon cancer as it may prevent the formation of polyps and the recurrence of colon cancer but this use is still under research and not approved.

Q. Is Rosuvastatin beneficial in the treatment of obesity?

Rosuvastatin is not indicated for the treatment of weight loss (obesity). Weight loss with this drug has only been reported by some patient and is seen in some animal studies. But there are no human research studies to show weight loss with Rosuvastatin.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin for dyslipidemia?

Yes, Rosuvastatin is very useful in the treatment of dyslipidemia, a lipid disorder with very high or very low lipid levels in the blood. Most common lipid disorder is hyperlipidemia in which the patient has high levels of bad lipids (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) and triglycerides, and low levels of good lipids (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL) in the blood. Rosuvastatin along with exercise and a low-fat diet decreases the LDL levels and increases the HDL levels and decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke on long-term use.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin play any role in the management of stroke?

Rosuvastatin is seen to be useful in preventing new episodes of ischemic stroke in the brain. Ischemic stroke occurs when there is a blockage of the blood vessel of the brain decreasing blood flow to a particular area of the brain. This blockage occurs due to plaque formation (deposition in the arteries where cholesterol combines with fat, calcium, and fibrin). Rosuvastatin decreases the chances of plaque formation by lowering the cholesterol levels in the body and hence low-fat the risk of new episodes of stroke. It is not routinely prescribed for the prevention of hemorrhagic stroke.

Q. Can I take Rosuvastatin with Febuxostat?

Rosuvastatin can be taken with febuxostat. Rosuvastatin is used to lower bad cholesterol and Febuxostat is used to lower uric acid levels in patients with gout. Many patients of high cholesterol levels also have high uric acid levels. There are no human studies available on this interaction. However, animal research shows that when given together, febuxostat can increase the blood levels of Rosuvastatin causing a higher risk of its side effects like muscle pain and muscle damage. So, a dose adjustment of Rosuvastatin may be needed when given along with febuxostat.

Q. Does Rosuvastatin play any role in the management of sepsis-associated Acute (or Adult) respiratory distress syndrome?

Rosuvastatin is not used in the treatment of sepsis associated Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is a condition in which there is inflammation of the lung leading to severe organ failure and this could be due to an underlying infection (sepsis). It is seen in some human research studies that there is no useful effect of Rosuvastatin in treatment of the sepsis associated ARDS. Rather, it may cause damage to liver and kidney in these patients.

Q. Is there any benefit of taking vitamin C with Rosuvastatin?

Rosuvastatin can be safely taken with vitamin C. There are no drug-drug interactions reported between the two and no harmful effects have been seen. Rosuvastatin is a cholesterol lowering agent used to treat hyperlipidemia. Vitamin C also acts as an anti-oxidant and few studies have shown that vitamin C can also help to lower bad cholesterol. So, using them together can actually be beneficial to lower the blood cholesterol levels.

Q. Can I take calcium supplements with Rosuvastatin?

Rosuvastatin should not be taken with calcium supplements as calcium can decrease its absorption and hence lowers the blood levels of Rosuvastatin. This can lead to a decrease in efficacy of Rosuvastatin to lower blood cholesterol levels. To avoid this effect, there should be a gap of at least 2 hours between the two medicines.

Q. Is Rosuvastatin a narcotic substance?

No, Rosuvastatin is not a narcotic substance. It's a prescription medicine and is available on providing a valid prescription by a doctor.

Q. Is Rosuvastatin a nitrate?

No, Rosuvastatin is not a nitrate. It is a lipid-lowering medicine and belongs to a group of medicines known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

Q. Is Rosuvastatin a diuretic?

No, Rosuvastatin is not a diuretic. It is a lipid-lowering medicine and is used to lower increased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. A diuretic is a medicine, which removes excess water and electrolytes from the body through urine.

Q. Is Rosuvastatin a beta blocker?

No, Rosuvastatin is not a beta blocker. It is a lipid-lowering medicine and is used to lower increased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.