What Is Crestor Used for

Crestor or rosuvastatin is a type "statin" which are lipid-lowering medication drugs also called HMG-CoA. When used along with diet, exercise, and weight-loss it decreases the levels of high cholesterol in the body and relieves its associated conditions. It also increases the level of the so-called good cholesterol and prevents cardiovascular diseases.

Cholesterol is a type of fat found in our blood. It has a very significant role in developing different parts of the body such as our brain and skin and in sustaining their optimal function. We obtain cholesterol from foods we ingest such as meat, eggs, butter, cheese, and milk. The liver is in charge of processing cholesterol and delivering it to the rest of our body. Even though it is important, our body doesn't need too much cholesterol. When blood is saturated with too much of it, the arteries that carry blood around our body can get blocked. High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. People can become sick to the point where they need to take medication to reduce the amount of cholesterol in their blood. In such cases, a healthy diet and lifestyle are always recommended, Crestor is a prescription drug of great aid.

Crestor is a product developed by a Japanese company called Shionogi & Co. However, since 1998, AstraZeneca got worldwide rights on this drug. AstraZeneca indicated in 2003 that Crestor had been officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States of America. The FDA protects and promotes public health through the regulation of many different products related to food safety, dietary supplements, prescription and medications, vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, among others. Crestor got approved in the U.S. to treat high LDL cholesterol (dyslipidemia), total cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia), and triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia).

Cholesterol is divided into two different kinds: low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein. They are also called LDL and HDL. A cholesterol blood test would help us know how much of each type we have.

1. 1
   LDL cholesterol

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   Is the most common yet the less healthy; it blocks arteries with plaque. Plaque interferes with the blood flow through the body. If you hear about bad cholesterol; then they are talking about LDL.

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2. 2
   HDL cholesterol

   .

   This cholesterol doesn't block arteries. This is the reason HDL is often called good cholesterol. HDL collects LDL cholesterol from the blood vessels and takes it back to the liver to be processed, and discharged from the body.

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A suitable LDL level is below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) (6.22 millimoles per liter, or mmol/L), and LDL should be under 100 mg/dL (3.37 mmol/L). If a blood test indicates that someone has high cholesterol, lifestyle changes may be made to lower their cholesterol such as changes in diet, increase exercise, and avoid smoking. However, even with lifestyle changes some people are not able to lower their cholesterol and must turn to pharmaceutical interventions.

Statins are usually the first type of medication prescribed to lower LDL. Why? Statins can lower triglycerides, another kind of blood fat and at the same time, slightly increase your HDL. They work by blocking the secretion of a substance which our body requires to produce cholesterol. Other types of statins are fluvastatin, lovastatin, atorvastatin, and pravastatin. The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association identifies four groups of people who could be benefited by Statins:

1. 1
   People with a cardiovascular disease

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   Anybody who has had heart attacks, mini-strokes, peripheral artery disease, or prior surgery to open or replace coronary arteries.

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2. 2
   People who have very high bad cholesterol

   .

   Having levels of 190 mg/dL (4.9 mmol/L) or higher; indicates a serious problem in adults.

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3. 3
   People with diabetes

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   People who have diabetes and levels of LDL between 70 and 189 mg/dL (1.8 and 4.9 mmol/L), especially if there is a vascular disease.

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4. 4
   Adults who have an LDL above 100 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L) and whose 10-year risk of a stroke test is higher than 7.5 percent.

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Like other drugs, statins have side effects. The most common side effects are related to intestinal problems, liver damage, and muscle inflammation. Statins could cause memory loss and confusion. However, an according to the FDA, these symptoms go away after a few weeks of taking the drug. If people are taking other medication, statins drugs may interact with them. Grapefruit juice should also be avoided after taking statins as it interacts with the medication, decreasing the effectiveness of statin. Doctors recommend that if the following side effects are presented, people should report them to their physician as it might be necessary to stop taking them:

• Depression
• Constipation
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Sleeplessness
• Cough.

Crestor is the salt of rosuvastatin. It inhibits the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase which is the substance our body needs to produce cholesterol.

• It can lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other heart difficulties in certain people with diabetes, heart-related disease, and other threats.
• It can be consumed to treat genetic forms of high cholesterol, as well as both the heterozygous and the homozygous types.

Like most drugs, Crestor has contraindications. If the patient presents any of them, they should discontinue treatment.

• Hypersensitivity to any component of the formula
• Liver disease or abnormal liver function
• Elevation of serum transaminases
• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding.

Crestor must not be taken while expecting a baby because it can produce serious damage to the fetus. In the case of breastfeeding, it should not be taken because of the possible disruption of the child's lipid metabolism.

Like all statins, Crestor could cause myopathy (muscle fibers to not function properly) or rhabdomyolysis (damaged skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly). People of Asian origin should be careful due to the easy absorption of rosuvastatin at a higher rate than other communities. These patients need to start with a lower dose.

People take it once a day during meals and at the same time each day. Of course, drinking alcohol or eating foods that are high in fat should be avoided. When patients are taking other medications, they should pay attention of affecting Crestor´s efficiency. In some cases, taking different drugs can increase the risk of severe muscle diseases.

Although many people claim to experience weight gain, according to a study by eHealthMe, only 1. 89% gained weight, which is 1,762 individuals. Among them:

• 69.23% were females and 30.77% were males.
• 12.16% were aged between 40 to 49 years old.
• 28.22% were aged between 50 to 59 years old.
• 56.3% were aged between 60 to 69 years old.

So although there is a possibility of gaining weight, it is a small population of people.

• Crestor can be used by adults and kids older than eight years.
• When sales started in 2003, they were about $129 million in 2003, and $908 million in 2004, according to AstraZeneca annual's reports.
• The population of patients using Crestor was over 4 million by the end of 2004.
• In 2013 Crestor was the fourth most selling drugs in the United States.
• AstraZeneca was the eighth largest pharmaceutical company in the world.
• Around 2004, Crestor was authorized in 154 countries and launched in 56.
• In 2016, the first generic version was approved by the FDA.
• During its clinical development, the drug was portrayed as a "super-statin" drug, which generated some controversy in Europe and North America.

LIving a healthy lifestyle can ensure cholesterol levels are kept stable. A balanced diet, lots of physical activity and eating food that increases good cholesterol such as olive oil, beans, legumes, whole grains, high-fiber fruit, fish, omega-3, nuts, avocado can all help keep cholesterol levels healthy. But for those people who are not able to lower their cholesterol, Crestor and other pharmaceutical interventions can help.

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