Rosuvastatin Side Effects, Warnings, and How To Use It – Rosuvastatin is a drug to lower LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein) and TGL (triglyceride) levels, as well as increase HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. As a result, the risk of heart and blood vessel disease will be reduced.
Fat in the form of cholesterol is formed naturally by the body from food and stored as a source of energy for the body. However, if cholesterol levels in the blood are too high, the risk of plaque buildup in the blood vessels (atherosclerosis) will increase.
Rosuvastatin works by reducing the formation of cholesterol by the liver, so that cholesterol levels in the blood are controlled. However, the use of rosuvastatin must be balanced with a low-fat or low-cholesterol diet and regular exercise, so that the effect is maximal.
Warnings Before Taking Rosuvastatin:
- Do not use rosuvastatin if you have allergies to the ingredients contained in this medicine.
- Do not take rosuvastatin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Tell your doctor if you are planning a pregnancy, before using this medicine.
- Tell your doctor if you have a history of liver disease, kidney disease, and alco**hol addiction.
- Do not consume alco**holic beverages while taking rosuvastatin, as it can increase the risk of liver disease.
- Elderly people are more at risk of side effects of rosuvastatin, especially musculoskeletal disorders.
- Immediately see your doctor if you have a drug allergic reaction or overdose after taking rosuvastatin.
How to use Rosuvastatin?
Read the information brochure if it is available at the pharmacy before you use rosuvastatin and each time you repurchase it. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
This medicine is taken by mouth with or without food, as recommended by the doctor, usually once a day.
The dose is adjusted for the medical condition, response to treatment, age, race, and other medications you are taking. For Asians, doctors will usually start with a low dose because they are more sensitive to the effects of this drug.
Antacids containing magnesium or aluminum may reduce the absorption of this drug. Therefore, if you take this type of antacid, take it at least 2 hours after this medicine.
Take this medicine regularly to get its optimal benefits. Don’t forget to drink it at the same time every day. It is important to continue taking this medicine even if you feel good. Most people with high cholesterol or triglycerides don’t feel pain.
It is important to follow your doctor’s advice regarding exercise and diet. It may take 4 weeks before you feel the results of this medicine.
Rosuvastatin Side Effects
Just like other drugs that have side effects. The Rosuvastatin drug can also trigger side effects. But the side effects of drug use will be different in each individual, generally people who use this drug do not have serious side effects.
Side effects of rosuvastatin include:
- Neurology: headache, dizziness, paresthesia
- Gastrointestinal: constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, impaired hepar function and increased serum transaminase levels
- Musculoskeletal: myalgia, back pain
- Psychiatry: depression, insomnia
- Others: chest pain, peripheral edema, skin rashes, asthenia, pharyngitis, urinary tract infections, rhinitis, and sinusitis.
A potentially fatal side effect is the occurrence of severe rhabdomyolysis accompanied by acute kidney failure, hepatitis, and pancreatitis.
Other side effects that can arise, although rare, are Stevens Johnson syndrome, anaphylaxis, and toxic epidermal necrolysis. [1,2,3]
Mild side effects will usually go away on their own when you stop taking the medicine. Side effects can occur due to excessive drug use, drug interactions, long-term use, or due to certain conditions of each patient that are certainly different.
Not everyone experiences the side effects mentioned above. There may be some side effects not mentioned above. But if there are signs and symptoms that interfere with your activities such as shortness of breath and allergic reactions to drugs, then consult a doctor or pharmacist to get further treatment.
Source:
- Rabbani SA, Ali SM. Rosuvastatin: A Review of Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics Properties. British Journal of Medical and Health Research. 2014:2(4):1-21
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 446157, Rosuvastatin. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Rosuvastatin.
- FDA. Highlights of Prescribing Information: Ezallor. FDA, 2003. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2018/208647s000lbl.pdf
- Mk2010, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
