I M P O R T A N T
I N F O R M A T I O N
A B O U T
C R E S T O R ®
( R O S U V A S T A T I N
C A L C I U M )
Please read this summary carefully and then ask your health care professional about CRESTOR. No advertisement can provide all
the information needed to determine if a drug is right for you. This advertisement does not take the place of careful discussions
with your health care professional.
Only your health care professional has the training to help weigh the risks and benefits of a prescription drug.
WHAT IS CRESTOR?
CRESTOR is a prescription medicine that belongs to a group
of cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins. Along with
diet, CRESTOR lowers ‘‘bad” cholesterol (LDL-C), increases
“ good" cholesterol (HDL-C), and also slows the progression
of atherosclerosis in adults with high cholesterol, as part of a
treatment plan to lower cholesterol to goal.
WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance, also called a lipid, normally
found in your bloodstream. Your body needs a certain amount
of cholesterol to function properly. But high cholesterol can
lead to health problems. LDL-C is called bad cholesterol
because if you have too much in your bloodstream, it can
become a danger to your health and can lead to potentially
serious conditions. HDL-C is known as good cholesterol
because it may help remove excess cholesterol. Common
health factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking,
obesity, family history of early heart disease, and age can
make controlling your cholesterol even more important.
WHAT IS ATHEROSCLEROSIS?
Atherosclerosis is the progressive buildup of plaque in the
arteries over time. One major cause is high levels of LDL-C.
Other health factors, such as family history, diabetes, high
blood pressure, or if you smoke or are overweight, may also
play a role in the formation of plaque in arteries. Often this
plaque starts building up in arteries in early adulthood and
gets worse over time.
HOW DOES CRESTOR WORK?
Most of the cholesterol in your blood is made in the liver.
CRESTOR works by reducing cholesterol in two ways:
CRESTOR blocks an enzyme in the liver causing the liver to
make less cholesterol, and CRESTOR increases the uptake
and breakdown by the liver of cholesterol already in the blood.
WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE CRESTOR?
Do not take CRESTOR if you
■ are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, or are
planning to become pregnant. CRESTOR may harm
your unborn baby. If you become pregnant, stop
taking CRESTOR and call your health care
professional right away
■ are breast-feeding. CRESTOR can pass into your
breast milk and may harm your baby
■ have liver problems
■ have had an allergic reaction to CRESTOR or are
allergic to any of its ingredients. The active ingredient
is rosuvastatin calcium. The inactive ingredients are
microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate,
tribasic calcium phosphate, crospovidone, magnesium
stearate, hypromellose. triacetin, titanium dioxide,
yellow ferric oxide, and red ferric oxide
The safety and effectiveness of CRESTOR have not been
established in children.
HOW SHOULD I TAKE CRESTOR?
■ Take CRESTOR exactly as prescribed by your health care
professional. Do not change your dose or stop CRESTOR
without talking to your health care professional, even if
you are feeling well
■ Your health care professional may do blood tests to check
your cholesterol levels before and during your treatment
with CRESTOR. Your dose of CRESTOR may be changed
based on these blood test results
■ CRESTOR can be taken at any time of day, with or
without food
■ Swallow the tablets whole
■ Your health care professional should start you on a
cholesterol-lowering diet before giving you CRESTOR.
Stay on this diet when you take CRESTOR
■ Wait at least 2 hours after taking CRESTOR to take an
antacid that contains a combination of aluminum and
magnesium hydroxide
■ If you miss a dose of CRESTOR, take it as soon as you
remember. However, do not take 2 doses of CRESTOR
w ithin 12 hours of each other
■ If you take too much CRESTOR or overdose, call your
health care professional or Poison Control Center right
away or go to the nearest emergency room
WHAT SHOULD I TELL MY
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL
BEFORE TAKING CRESTOR?
Tell your health care professional if you
■ have a history of muscle pain or weakness
■ are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, or are
planning to become pregnant
■ are breast-feeding
■ drink more than 2 glasses of alcohol daily
■ have liver problems
■ have kidney problems
■ have thyroid problems
■ are Asian or of Asian descent
Tell your health care professional about all medicines you
take or plan to take, including prescription and non-
prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Some medicines may interact with CRESTOR. causing side
effects. It is particularly important to tell your health care
professional if you are taking or plan to take medicines for
- your immune system
- cholesterol/triglycerides
- blood thinning
- HIV/AIDS
- preventing pregnancy
Know all of the medicines you take and what they look like.
It’s always a good idea to check that you have the right
prescription before you leave the pharmacy and before you
take any medicine.
(continued)
Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your health
care professional. If you need to go to the hospital or have
surgery, tell all of your health care professionals about all
medicines that you are taking.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE
EFFECTS OF CRESTOR?
CRESTOR can cause side effects in some people.
Serious side effects may include:
Muscle problem s. Call your health care professional
right away if you experience unexplained muscle pain,
tenderness, or weakness, especially with fever. This
may be an early sign of a rare muscle problem that
could lead to serious kidney problems. The risk of
muscle problems is greater in people who are 65
years of age or older, or who already have thyroid or
kidney problems. The chance of muscle problems may
be increased if you are taking certain other medicines
with CRESTOR.
Liver problems. Your health care professional should
do blood tests before you start taking CRESTOR and
during treatment to check for signs of possible
liver problems.
The m ost common side effects may include headache,
m uscle aches and pains, abdom inal pain, weakness,
and nausea.
This is not a complete list of side effects of CRESTOR.
Talk to your health care professional for a complete list
or if you have side effects that bother you or that do not
go away.
HOW DO I STORE CRESTOR?
Store CRESTOR at room temperature. 68-77°F (20-25°C),
in a dry place. If your health care professional tells you to
stop treatment or if your medicine is out of date, throw the
medicine away. Keep CRESTOR and all m edicines in a
secure place and out of the reach of children.
WHERE CAN I GET MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT CRESTOR?
Talk to your health care professional. Full Prescribing
Information is available on CRESTOR.COM or by
calling 1-800-CREST0R.
GENERAL INFORMATION
It is important to take CRESTOR as prescribed and to discuss
any health changes you experience while taking CRESTOR
with your health care professional. Do not use CRESTOR for
a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give
CRESTOR to other people, even if they have the same
medical condition you have. It may harm them.
NOTE: This summary provides important information
about CRESTOR. For more information, please ask your
health care professional about the full Prescribing
Information and discuss it with him or her.
Visit
CRESTOR.COM
or call the Information Center
at AstraZeneca toll-free at
1-800-CREST0R.
C R E S T O R w a s lic e n se d b y A stra Z e n e ca from S h t o n o g iA Co. LTD, O sa ka . Ja p a n . C R E S T O R is a re g iste re d trad em ark o f th e A stra Z e n e ca g ro u p o f co m p a n ie s.
02009
A stra Z e n e ca P h a rm a ce u tica ls L P AM rig h ts re se rv e d A stra Z e n e ca P h a rm a ce u tica ls LP. W iim m gton. D E
19850
. R e v
4/09278094
SOS
CRESTOR
rosuvastatin calcium
AstraZeneca^
