Name Rosuvastatin
Classes Metabolic Agent
Antihyperlipidemic/Lipid Lowering Agent
Statin
Diseases Atherosclerosis
Blocked Heart Vessel
Cardiovascular Disease
High Cholesterol

Rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin is a lipid lowering medication that acts by inhibiting the enzyme HMG Co-A reductase. HMG Co-A reductase is an enzyme essential for the synthesis of cholesterols.

Rosuvastatin is indicated for the following cases-

  • Hyperlipidemia
  • Prevention of Cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, stroke, angina etc.)
  • Coronary heart diseases
  • Rosuvastatin is available as 5mg, 10mg, 20mg and 40mg tablets. 
  • The usual starting dose is 10-20 mg. Rotuvastatin can be administered as a single dose at any time of day, with or without food.
  • When initiating Rotuvastatin therapy or switching from another HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor therapy, the appropriate Rotuvastatin starting dose should first be utilized, and only then titrated according to the patient’s response and individualized goal of therapy.
  • After initiation or upon titration of Rotuvastatin, lipid levels should be analyzed within 2 to 4 weeks and the dosage adjusted accordingly.
  • The 40 mg dose of Rotuvastatin should be used only for those patients who have not achieved their LDL-C goal utilizing the 20 mg dose .

Commonly associated side effects with the use of Rotuvastatin include-

  • Headache
  • Myalgia
  • Abdominal pain
  • Asthenia
  • Nausea
  • Skeletal muscle effects (e.g., myopathy and rhabdomyolysis): Risks increase with use of 40 mg dose, advanced age (≥65), hypothyroidism, renal impairment, and combination use with cyclosporine, lopinavir/ritonavir, atazanavir/ritonavir, or certain other lipid-lowering drugs. Advise patients to promptly report unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness and discontinue Rosuvastatin if signs or symptoms appear.
  • Liver enzyme abnormalities and monitoring: Persistent elevations in hepatic transaminases can occur. Monitor liver enzymes before and during treatment.

Contraindication

Rosuvastatin is contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to the medicine itself or other statins, such as-

Rosuvastatin is contraindicated in the following health conditions-

  • Liver problems
  • Pregnancy
  • Lactation