Rosuvastatin (Systemic)

Brand Names : Crestor

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For rosuvastatin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to rosuvastatin. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Diet - Before prescribing medicine for your condition, your doctor will probably try to control your condition by prescribing a personal diet for you. Such a diet may be low in fats, sugars, and/or cholesterol. Many people are able to control their condition by carefully following their doctor's orders for proper diet and exercise. Medicine is prescribed only when additional help is needed and is effective only when a schedule of diet and exercise is properly followed.

Pregnancy - Rosuvastatin should not be used during pregnancy or by women who plan to become pregnant . This medicine blocks formation of cholesterol, which is necessary for the fetus to develop properly. Rosuvastatin may cause birth defects or other problems in the baby if taken during pregnancy. An effective form of birth control should be used during treatment with these medicines. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you have become pregnant while taking this medicine . Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.

Breast-feeding - It is not known if rosuvastatin passes into breast milk. However, it should not be used during breast-feeding because it may cause serious unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients and a small number of pediatric patients 8 years of age and older, and there is no specific information comparing use of rosuvastatin in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking rosuvastatin, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Antacid, aluminum and magnesium hydroxide-containing (e.g., Gelusil, Maalox, Mylanta) - Use of this medicine with rosuvastatin may decrease the amount of rosuvastatin in the body. Antacids should be taken at least two hours after rosuvastatin.

• Cyclosporine (e.g., Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune) - May increase the risk of serious side effects

• Gemfibrozil (e.g., Lopid) - May increase the risk of serious side effects.

• Warfarin (e.g., Coumadin) - May increase the risk of bleeding.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of rosuvastatin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alcohol abuse (or history of) or
• Liver problems (or history of) or
• Liver enzymes, persistently high levels - Use of this medicine may make liver problems worse.

• Chinese or Japanese ancestry - May increase the amount of rosuvastatin in the body.

• Convulsions (seizures), not well-controlled, or
• Electrolyte or metabolic enzyme deficiencies or disorders or
• Infection, severe or
• Low blood pressure or
• Major surgery or trauma, recent - Patients with these conditions may be at risk of developing muscle problems (causing the release of muscle pigment into the urine) that may lead to kidney failure

• Kidney problems or
• Older adult or
• Underactive thyroid - May increase your chance of getting a serious side effect.

• Muscle problems - Use of this medicine may make muscle problems worse.

• Protein in the urine - Rosuvastatin may cause this problem. Your doctor may want to decrease the dose of rosuvastatin if you get this problem.