Rosuvastatin at a glance
Medicine class
Statin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor).
Main roles
Treating primary or familial hypercholesterolaemia and reducing cardiovascular risk in suitable high-risk patients.
Food
May be taken with or without food.
Available forms
Selected UK products include film-coated tablets, orodispersible tablets, oral solution and hard capsules.
What is Rosuvastatin used for?
Selected UK products are licensed for:
Primary hypercholesterolaemia, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, or mixed dyslipidaemia when diet and other non-drug measures have not been sufficient.
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia alongside diet and other lipid-lowering treatments, or when those treatments are unsuitable.
Prevention of major cardiovascular events in people at high risk of a first event, alongside management of other risk factors.
Licensed paediatric lipid disorders from 6 years of age under specialist care.
How does Rosuvastatin work?
Rosuvastatin blocks HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme the liver uses to make cholesterol. The liver then increases LDL receptors, removing more LDL cholesterol from the blood, while production of LDL- and VLDL-containing particles falls.
Rosuvastatin preparations and strengths
Capsule
Route: Oral
Strengths: 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg
Dispersible tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 5 mg, 10 mg
How to take Rosuvastatin
Follow the dispensing label and product leaflet. Rosuvastatin may be taken with or without food.
Swallow film-coated tablets with water.
Place an orodispersible tablet on the tongue, allow it to break up and swallow with or without water.
Measure oral solution with the supplied oral syringe. It contains ethanol, so check suitability with the prescriber or pharmacist where relevant.
Selected hard capsules may be swallowed intact. Their granules may alternatively be sprinkled onto specified soft food without chewing, or given through a suitable nasogastric tube according to the product instructions.
Rosuvastatin side effects
Common or expected effects
- Headache or dizziness
- Nausea or abdominal discomfort
- Constipation
- Muscle aches
- Weakness or tiredness
- Raised blood glucose or diabetes in people already at risk
Get urgent medical advice
- Unexplained severe muscle pain, weakness or cramps, particularly with fever or dark urine
- Yellow skin or eyes, suggesting liver inflammation
- Severe abdominal pain, which may indicate pancreatitis
- Facial, tongue or throat swelling, or breathing difficulty
- Blistering, peeling or widespread rash, especially with fever or facial swelling
Rosuvastatin in pregnancy
Selected UK product information contraindicates rosuvastatin during pregnancy, and UK pregnancy guidance says statins are usually avoided because safety information remains limited. Contact the prescriber promptly if pregnant or planning pregnancy so treatment and cardiovascular risk can be reviewed.
Rosuvastatin while breastfeeding
Selected product information contraindicates use during breastfeeding. Current UK specialist guidance is more permissive: if treatment cannot reasonably be postponed, rosuvastatin may be considered cautiously after individual assessment, with monitoring of the infant’s feeding, growth and possible adverse effects. Specialist advice is appropriate for premature or unwell infants.
Rosuvastatin interactions
Check all prescribed, non-prescribed and herbal medicines with a pharmacist or prescriber. Important examples include:
Ciclosporin
Markedly increases rosuvastatin exposure; concomitant use is contraindicated.
Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir
Markedly increases rosuvastatin exposure; concomitant use is contraindicated.
Some HIV or hepatitis antiviral combinations
May substantially increase rosuvastatin exposure and muscle-toxicity risk, requiring specialist review.
Gemfibrozil and other fibrates
Common questions about Rosuvastatin
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is rosuvastatin calcium different from rosuvastatin?
Rosuvastatin calcium is the salt used in the medicine. Product quantities are expressed as the equivalent amount of active rosuvastatin.
How quickly does rosuvastatin lower cholesterol?
An effect is usually measurable within about a week, with the maximum response generally reached within about four weeks.
Does grapefruit interact with rosuvastatin?
Rosuvastatin is not significantly metabolised by CYP3A4, so grapefruit is not expected to cause the interaction seen with some other statins.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.