How does Crestor work?
There are two types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL. Doctors call HDL the "Good Cholesterol" because your body needs it. Conversely, LDL is considered to be the "Bad Cholesterol" because high levels of LDL cholesterol are associated with conditions such as heart attack and stroke. Think of your liver as a cholesterol factory. It creates cholesterol at night while you are sleeping. Crestor works directly in the liver, inhibiting the enzyme that manufactures the bad cholesterol (LDL) while leaving the production of HDL alone. By inhibiting or blocking the action of this liver enzyme, your body's ability to produce LDL (bad) cholesterol is dramatically reduced. However, while Crestor does lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, it has a limited effect on HDL (good) cholesterol, and no effect on triglycerides (fats), an equally dangerous heart disease risk indicator.
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP (the Crestor drug manufacturer) recommends that liver function tests be performed before someone begins Crestor therapy and at 12 weeks following both the initiation of therapy and any elevation of dose, and periodically (e.g., semiannually) thereafter. In most cases, people with vastly elevated liver enzymes should stop taking Crestor immediately.
Other Crestor FAQs
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Q:
What is Crestor?
A: Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) is a prescription strength synthetic lipid-lowering agent manufactured and marketed by AstraZeneca U.S. It belongs to a class of drugs … More -
Q:
What is Crestor used for?
A: Crestor is used as an adjunct to a low-cholesterol diet and exercise program Crestor is thought to reduce elevated total Cholesterol (total-C), Low-Density … More -
Q:
Is Crestor right for you?
A: Do not take Crestor if you: have certain liver problems; are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Crestor may harm your unborn baby. If you get pregnant, stop … More -
Q:
I'm trying to get pregnant, can I take Crestor?
A: No. Pregnant, breastfeeding, or women trying to get pregnant should not be taking any kind of cholesterol lowering drugs because statins may cause birth defects./p> More -
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What should I tell my health care provider before taking Crestor?
A: Before starting Crestor, tell your health care provider about all medical conditions, including if you: are pregnant or planning to become pregnant; are … More -
Q:
What other drugs affect Crestor?
A: Do not take Crestor if you are taking: the blood thinner Coumadin; Cyclosporine, a medicine with multiple uses, including use after organ transplants or for … More -
Q:
What are some possible side effects of Crestor?
A: Like all medicines, Crestor may cause side effects in some people. These side effects are usually mild to moderate and usually go away after a short time. The most … More -
Q:
What is the recent news on Crestor all about?
A: In March of 2004, the activist group Public Citizen complained to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that a condition called rhabdomyolysis was occurring more … More -
Q:
Why are news organizations still covering something that happened months ago?
A: In June, Public Citizen's Sidney Wolf repeated his old charges from March against Crestor in the British medical journal The Lancet, despite the fact that the FDA has … More -
Q:
What is the problem with Crestor?
A: The problem is that the FDA approved Crestor even though it has been proven more problematic than other kinds of cholesterol lowering statins. There are currently six … More
