Get Informed: Crestor
Active Ingredient(s)
Rosuvastatin
What does it do?
This product is primarily used to reduce cholesterol. It works by blocking an important enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) used by the body to produce cholesterol.
- Last Text Update:
- 2010-Sep-02 9:21 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2010-Sep-02 9:02 PM
Other Names
- Crestor
- Rosuvastatin
- Rosuvastatin Calcium
- Creston
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category
- X
- Black Box Warning:
- No
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 12 Aug 2003
- Est US Patients*
- 3,866,000
- Generic Available
- No
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Crestor or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Crestor Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
- Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Crestor interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.
What is Crestor used for?
iGuard is currently tracking more than 29,100 patients that use Crestor (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| High Cholesterol | 100% |
mild
severe
|
How well does Crestor work?
iGuard regularly polls our more than 29,100 users taking Crestor (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM). This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 86%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Crestor outweigh the bad things.
- 9%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Crestor.
Common Side Effects of Crestor
iGuard regularly polls our more than 29,100 users taking Crestor (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
23% of patients experience side-effects on Crestor
2% of patients experience significant side-effects on Crestor
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Muscle Pain/Cramps
-
Weakness
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Constipation, Drowsiness, Fatigue, Hair Loss, Hyperglycemia, Memory/Speech Problems, Weight Gain
Global Patient Feedback for Crestor (Rosuvastatin) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I have been taking 20mg of Crestor and 2,000mg of Niacin daily and a low fat diet for the past 1 1/2 years. When I first started on the medication I had moderately bad leg cramps. I started Co-Enzyme Q-10 400mg daily and the cramps were greatly reduced. I increased my Co-Q to 600mg daily and my cramps went away completely. The only side effect I now notice is some degree of memory loss which seems to be associated with my cholesterol levels going too low (below 100). I eat a little more fat and those sie effects go away as well. EVERYONE ON A STATIN SHOULD TAKE CO-ENZYME-Q
55 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-08-22 19:34:57
Member Answer/Reply:
Did your doctor prescribe the amount of Crestor and Niacin that you are taking? Are you taking straight Niacin or Niaspan? What brand of CoQ10 have you found effective?...thanks for your post...I haven't been able to find the amount of Niacin allowable with 20mg of Crestor.
64 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-08-27 12:19:12
Member Answer/Reply:
My Doctor initailly started me on the Crestor and Niacin, but I tweaked the doses to adjust for maximum benefit with minimum side effects. I actually take an extra 5mg of Crestor when I eat more saturated fat and 20mg when I maintain my low fat diet. I need the Crestor due to my poor genetic profile. I also take Fish oil, hemp oil, and flax seed oil with various foods (Flax seeds on Oatmeal), Hemp Oil on toast (in lieu of butter or margarine), etc. I try to maintain at least 30% of my daily calories from fats (mostly Omega-3 fats). I use regular time-release Niacin 1,000mg (1-2 at bedtime). Take the Niacin at bedtime as most LDL cholesterol is made around 2-3 AM and Niacin works better at that time (you can also take a baby aspirin before the Niacin to reduce the flushing effects as well as have some degree of cardioprotection from clotting). I vary my Niacin dose according to the foods I eat. If I eat more simple carbohydrates I take more Niacin, if I eat very little Carbohydrates, I take less Niacin. I buy most of my vitamins from online stores like Puritans pride or swanson vitamins. I like the Puritans Pride Co-Q and usually take some Ubiquinol along with the Ubiquinone (Co-Q).
BTW I am a Clinical Pharmacist and have done tons of research on this. Good Luck and remember that a proper diet is essential and medications are an adjunct and not the other way around.
55 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-09-01 11:37:48
Question/Comment:
I have been on 3-4 different statins. All three have caused leg pains. One time it was my heels that hurt the worst. Every time I come off the statins, leg pains disapear. I'm feeling like I'm the group that statins do not help but harm.
58 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-08-22 10:36:42
Question/Comment:
Crestor caused shooting pains in my head and other parts of my body. Relief was gained when stopping the pill.
74 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-08-22 07:57:58
Question/Comment:
I started having problems with high cholesterol and weight gain about 15 years ago, and have been on various medications since. I have complications including severe allergies to fish and seafood, moderate allergies to mushrooms and citrus fruits, and digestive intolerance to lettuce, cabbage and some other foods (I get severe gas, and sometimes acid reflux or diarrhea). I also can't keep fresh fruits and vegetables on hand because of poor refrigeration and an excessively hot apartment.
Currently I'm on Crestor 20 mg, Ezetrol 10 mg, and fenofibrate 200 mg. The latter two interact with Crestor, but I haven't had many of the interaction problems so far.
I'm awaiting blood test results after two months on the three drugs, but in the past have had low HDL and a bad HDL-LDL ratio despite my attempts to juggle my diet and exercise regularly. My doctor isn't too informative on these matters.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to raise my HDL? (It's been .8 or below for a long time)
44 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-08-20 01:28:31
Question/Comment:
Does anyone (medically) ever answer these questions? I have been on Crestor for about six weeks and while my Dr. is happy about my numbers I wake up sick to my stomach every day. So nausious and ill that I can't really do anything? Does anyone else get this stomach ache...it's more like stomach making a lot of noise and going to the bathroom #2, burns. Anyone else? Thank you if you take the time to answer.
54 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-08-02 06:44:39
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Nausea and abdominal pain are two of the leading side effects of Crestor. Usually the symptoms are not as severe though. Talk with your doctor about the severity of your symptoms. Maybe there is a different medication in the same class that would not affect you as terribly.
Posted: 2010-08-17 00:23:15
Member Answer/Reply:
Dear 54 yo female...Yes, I have been experiencing signigicant GI side effects, nausea and anorexia being one of them. Also have stomach cramps and diarrhea. I have gone off for 1 month and had improvement. Went back on Crestor and the same symptoms began within 3 days. I am only taking 2.5 mgm (1/2 of a 5 mg tablet) on Monday and Friday evening. That dose has proved to control my rather high cholesterol levels so that they are within normal ranges. So, although I find this to be the preferred drug because it doesn't cause me leg and arm cramping in this low dose, I have quit taking it. I have tried several other statins and had the arm and leg cramping which rules out taking them.
67 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-08-19 21:16:14
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Patient Comments About
Crestor