Crestor
Crestor Description of the medicine is based on the official instructions for use for the medicine, approved by the manufacturer. The information on this website should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor or health care provider. If you have questions about your condition or if you want more information about CRESTOR, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Only you and your healthcare professional can decide if CRESTOR is right for you.
What is Crestor?
Crestor is original rosuvastatin drug manufactured by AstraZeneca. It lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol and increases "good" HDL, and stronger than other statins. Doctors prescribe pills Crestor to people who have high risk of cardiovascular catastrophe, to protect them from a heart attack, and ischemic stroke.
In studies of rosuvastatin was attended by many thousands of patients. All of them prescribed the original drug Crestor. Pills rosuvastatin competing firms have a weaker evidence base, but are cheaper. All concerned about medication side effects Crestor and other statins. Below explained in detail what they are, how to alleviate or remove entirely. Read also the instructions for use, written in accessible language. Learn the indications, contraindications, dosages, the regimen.
Crestor reduces "bad" LDL cholesterol in the blood, partially blocking its production in the liver. Also reduces the concentration of triglycerides, apolipoprotein b, lipoprotein very low density (VLDL). Increases "good" HDL cholesterol. Reduces chronic indolent inflammation in the blood vessels. Improves the performance of C-reactive protein and other markers of inflammation. The results of the blood tests begin to improve in 1-2 weeks, maximum effect in 2-4 weeks.
Crestor (Rosuvastatin) General Information
Crestor (Rosuvastatin) is a statin-induced hypolipidemic drug designed to reduce the production of "bad" and increase the concentration of "good" cholesterol in the blood plasma. The drug of the last (fourth) generation is effectively used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and for the prevention of atherosclerosis and its consequences.
Cleaning the blood vessels and preventing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, it inhibits the development of infarction and ischemic stroke in patients with high cardiovascular risk. Rosuvastatin is one of the most studied drugs in the statin group - its effectiveness has been proven experimentally on 170,000 volunteers.
Method of application and dose:
The drug is prescribed inside at any time of the day regardless of the meal. The tablet should be swallowed whole with water without chewing or crushing. Before the start of drug therapy Crestor® patient is required to begin to comply with the standard hypolipidemic diet and continue to observe her during treatment. The dose should be selected individually depending on indications and therapeutic response, taking into account the current recommendations for target levels of lipids. Patients with renal insufficiency mild or moderate severity dose adjustment is not required. Patients with moderate renal impairment, the recommended initial dose of the drug 5 mg.
Composition:
Crestor 5 mg: Biconvex; 5 mg each: round, yellow, engraved with "ZD4522 5" on either side. Inactive substances: lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, calciumphosphate, magnesium stearate, crospovidone, glycerol triacetate, hypromellose, iron oxide red (E172), titanium dioxide, purified water.
Crestor 10 mg: 10 mg each: round, pink, engraved "ZD4522 10" on either side. Inactive substances: lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, calcium phosphate, magnesium stearate, crospovidone, glycerol triacetate, hypromellose, iron oxide red (E 172), titanium dioxide, purified water.
Crestor 20 mg: 20 mg each: round, pink, engraved "ZD4522 20" on either side. Inactive substances: lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, calcium phosphate, magnesium stearate, crospovidone, glycerol triacetate, hypromellose, iron oxide red (E 172), titanium dioxide, purified water.
When Do You Need to Use Crestor (Rosuvastatin)?
The uniqueness of the latest generation of statin is that it is used with an elevated C-reactive protein. It is this indicator, rather than NSAIDs and NPLP, that provides a reliable picture of vascular risks. In small, in comparison with other statin dosages, the drug more actively normalizes the lipid balance.
Excessive reduction in the production of harmful cholesterol leads to depressive states, loss of memory, a reduction in life, so it is important to monitor the rate of cholesterol. Patients of adulthood, as well as patients with renal and hepatic dysfunction, do not have special recommendations for dosage.
Rosuvastatin is a fourth-generation drug with an extended spectrum of effects. It is used in the following pathologies:
- Hypercholesterolemia, characterized by increased plasma concentrations of cholesterol;
- Hypertriglyceridemia due to high triglycerol;
- Homozygous hypercholesterolemia of genetic nature;
- Prevention of the consequences of atherosclerosis - hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cerebral stroke in patients of mature (after 50) age.
How Does Crestor Work?
The active component of the drug has a hypolipidemic effect. Rosuvastatin inhibits the enzyme HMG-CoA-reductase, responsible for the production of mevalonate - the precursor of cholesterol. The agent acts directly on the hepatocytes (liver cells) responsible for the production of its own (endogenous) cholesterol. Increasing the number of low-density lipoprotein receptors on the surface of hepatocides, it activates the removal of excess cholesterol from the circulatory system. The preparation stimulates the synthesis of nitrogen.
An important difference between Rosuvastatin and other statins is that it not only fights against "bad" cholesterol, but also reduces chronic inflammation, which, according to many scientists, is the main cause of atherosclerosis. The drug stimulates the synthesis of nitrogen, contributing to the relaxation of blood vessels, and creates a so-called pleiotropic (additional) effect.
After using the statin, the active ingredient quickly, though not completely, enters the circulatory system, evenly distributed throughout the tissues of the body. It is absorbed more slowly than its analogues and the period of excretion is longer. The maximum plasma concentration of the active ingredient is observed after 5 hours after use.
Which Dosage of Crestor Should You Take?
Rosuvastatin is taken inside (regardless of food intake, at any time of the day). Do not grind and not chew, swallow it, washed down with water. The initial dose is 1 time per day 10 mg; it is possible to increase the dose at 4 weeks to 20 mg. An increase in the dose to 40 mg is possible only under medical supervision in patients with severe familial homozygous hypercholesterolemia with a high risk of developing cardiovascular complications that did not achieve the desired result with 20 mg of the drug.
Patients who have risk factors for myopathy, the initial dose is 5 mg. When used with gemfibrazilom dose of rosuvastatin should not be more than 10 mg / day. With mild or moderate renal failure, as well as in elderly patients, dose adjustments are not required.
Before the treatment and throughout the period of therapy with rosuvastatin, a standard lipid-lowering diet should be followed. When treating every 2-4 weeks, it is necessary to monitor the lipid profile and, if necessary, adjust the dose of rosuvastatin. A dose of 40 mg is contraindicated in patients who have risk factors for rhabdomyolysis (familial or personal history of muscular disease, hypothyroidism, mean renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance less than 60 ml / min), alcohol abuse, myotoxicity when taking fibrates or other inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, patients of the Asian race, simultaneous reception of fibrates, conditions that are accompanied by an increase in the content of the drug in the systemic circulation). Patients who take 40 mg of the drug are recommended to monitor the indicators of the functional state of the kidneys.
Who Mustn't Take the Drug: Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity,
- Expressed violations of the functional state of the kidneys (creatinine clearance less than 30 ml / min),
- Liver disease in the active phase (including a persistent increase in liver transaminase activity),
- Myopathy,
- Joint administration of cyclosporine,
- Lactation/pregnancy,
- Age 18 years (safety and efficacy not established),
- Women of reproductive age who do not use reliable contraceptives.
Possible Side Effects of Rosuvastatin
- Nervous system: headache, asthenic syndrome, dizziness, anxiety, insomnia, depression, paresthesia, neuralgia; digestive system: constipation, abdominal pain, nausea, reversible dose-dependent transient increase in liver transaminase activity, gastritis, dyspepsia (including diarrhea, flatulence, vomiting), gastroenteritis;
- Respiratory system: pharyngitis, sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, dyspnea, cough, pneumonia;
- Circulatory system: stenocardia, palpitation, increased blood pressure, vasodilation; system of support and movement: myalgia, arthralgia, muscular hypertonus, arthritis, back pain, myopathy, pathological limb fracture, rhabdomyolysis (together with impaired renal functional status, with taking 40 mg of the drug);
- Genitourinary system: tubular proteinuria, peripheral edema, urinary tract infections, abdominal pain;
- Allergic reactions: itching, skin rash, angioedema;
- Other: anemia, accidental trauma, chest pain, ecchymosis, diabetes mellitus, periodontal abscess, flu-like syndrome.
Crestor Side Effects:
Pills Crestor, like other statins, can cause muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, impaired memory and thinking, skin rashes, digestive disorders. Take a look at "Side effects of statins" — learn how to relieve uncomfortable symptoms or remove them entirely. Rosuvastatin drugs have particular side effects. Read more, how safe is rosuvastatin. People who have a high risk of heart attack and stroke, Crestor does more good than harm. To cancel this medicine should only be made if the side effects intolerable and facilitate them does not work. The danger of liver problems is exaggerated. Don't worry about them, if you do not abuse alcohol. Side effects observed while taking the drug Crestor®, usually expressed slightly and are themselves. Virtually all drugs have side effects. Typically, this occurs when the medication in maximum doses, when you use drugs over a long period of time, while taking several medications. And possible individual intolerance of a particular substance. It can harm the body, so if a drug is causing you side effects, it is necessary to stop its intake and consult a doctor.
Crestor (Rosuvastatin) Drug Interactions
- When interacting with drugs of nicotinic acid, the risk of manifestation of renal insufficiency, as well as rhabdomyolysis, increases;
- With diuretics, the risk of lowering the level of endogenous steroid hormones increases;
- When interacting with additional lipid-lowering agents, the likelihood of multiple side effects increases;
- With cardiac glycosides, the concentration of digoxin increases;
- When interacting with immunosuppressants, the probability of developing acute renal failure increases, as well as rhabdomyolysis;
- When interacting with anticoagulants, the probability of bleeding increases;
- With antifungal agents increases the likelihood of developing acute renal failure, as well as rhabdomyolysis;
- With alcohol, the risk of liver damage increases - therefore, it should be as limited as possible.
Crestor (Rosuvastatin) Market Trends
Crestor (Rosuvastatin) is a popular drug that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Over the last decade, it has become integrated into the number of medical treatments. It has determined its role in the sphere of healthcare. The future impact of major drivers and challenges on the production and distribution of Crestor has become crucial in manufacture cost-effective professional decisions. As a result, its market position is becoming more determined due to the recent trends.
Competitive Landscape
Crestor now has competitors on the market of statin drugs. Its medical alternatives include medicines with the similar spectrum of characteristics and functions. For example, the FDA has already approved Nexletol for patients who are genetically predisposed to the high level of cholesterol and patients who have heart problems. The developers will have to expand the functionality of Crestor for treatment of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or "bad" cholesterol.
Thousands or even millions of people cannot tolerate statins because they start suffering from harsh side effects. These include a long-term headache and muscle pain. This fact is one of the determinants of the market competition. The closest competitors try to produce and bring to the market the medicine that could be used by patients who can’t take statins. In this case, the search for a Crestor alternative becomes a must. Thus, it has become in the very best interests of AZ and now Gruenenthal to focus on the improvement of qualities and characteristics of the given satin drug. Its optimization will allow the developers to expand the Crestor market.
Increase in Statin Use
The use of statins was first introduced in the late 1980s. Eventually, this kind of treatment has grown to the use of seven statins: Crestor, Lipitor, Zocor, and some others. These days, the use of statins in primary and secondary prevention is becoming more and more popular. In fact, one in four adults is reported to take a statin. The main reason for using this drug is determined by the problem of high cholesterol level. But it is also effective for the treatment of dyslipidaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, and cardiovascular problems.
Statins can’t do a miracle to your body, so they have some side effects. However, the satin use for medical purposes demonstrates an overly positive result if the patient’s medical condition is serious. While the problems addressed by Crestor are some of the major ones today, the statin use for medical purposes will not go anywhere in the nearest future.