Crestor Precautions and Warnings

Some Crestor Precautions and Warnings

Some precautions and warnings to be aware of when taking Crestor include:
 
  • If you are over 65 years old, of Asian descent, or have severe kidney disease, your healthcare provider may recommend a lower starting dosage and may choose to make any necessary Crestor dosing adjustments with caution.
     
  • Crestor can interact with certain medications (see Crestor Drug Interactions).
     
  • If you are an alcoholic or drink alcohol frequently, discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to starting Crestor. Alcohol can affect the way the liver works, indirectly affecting the Crestor medication.
     
  • Statins have been known to cause an increase in liver enzymes (which can be a sign of liver problems). Therefore, it is recommended that you have a blood test that looks at your liver function before starting Crestor and 12 weeks after treatment has begun.
     
  • Rhabdomyolysis (the severe breakdown of muscles) has rarely been reported with Crestor and other statins. If you have kidney damage, are elderly, or are not being properly treated for hypothyroidism, you are at higher risk of developing muscle problems like rhabdomyolysis. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any muscle pain, weakness, or tenderness, especially if it is accompanied by a fever or body aches.
     
  • Crestor is an FDA pregnancy Category X medicine, meaning that Crestor could potentially cause harm to an unborn child. The safety of Crestor in pregnant women has not been established. If you become pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider immediately (see Crestor and Pregnancy).
     
  • It is unknown whether or not Crestor is passed through breast milk. Therefore, if you are nursing and taking Crestor, ask your healthcare provider whether you should stop nursing or stop taking Crestor (see Crestor and Breastfeeding).
     
  • The risk of muscle problems (myopathy) while taking Crestor can be increased if you take other cholesterol medication (such as fibrates or niacin). Discuss this with your healthcare provider before taking these medications together.
     
(Crestor Precautions and Warnings Continued: Page 3)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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