Crestor Alternatives

If you develop any side effects while taking Crestor, or if your cholesterol levels do not improve, alternatives to this medication are available. Your healthcare provider may recommend other statins or an entirely different class of cholesterol medication. Some of these alternatives to Crestor include fibrates, nicotinic acid, bile acid sequestrants, and cholesterol absorption inhibitors.

What Are Some Alternatives to Crestor?

Crestor® (rosuvastatin calcium) is a prescription cholesterol medication. For most people, it is quite effective at lowering cholesterol and is generally well tolerated. However, people may wish to consider a substitute for Crestor in some situations (such as if bothersome or dangerous side effects occur). Crestor alternatives might include other statins or other cholesterol medicines.
 
Keep in mind that lifestyle changes are the first line of treatment for lowering cholesterol. However, for some people, treating high cholesterol with diet, weight control, and exercise is not enough.
 

Other Statins

Crestor is part of a class of drugs called statins (or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors).
 Statins work by blocking a particular enzyme, HMG-CoA reductase, that controls the rate of cholesterol production in the body. This causes the liver to make less cholesterol. Statins:
 
Several statin medications are available that could be considered a substitute for Crestor. These include:
 

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(Crestor Alternatives Continued: Page 2)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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