Crestor

Be sure to tell the doctor if your ancestry is Japanese or Chinese, since these groups have been known to metabolize Crestor differently than others.

Crestor may be associated with abnormal lab test results, including tests for liver and thyroid function and blood sugar levels. If you're having any lab work done, be sure to let the doctor know you're taking Crestor.

The safety and effectiveness of Crestor have not been established in children.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Crestor

If you take Crestor with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Crestor with any of the following:

Antacids such as Maalox or Mylanta
Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as clofibrate (Atromid-S) or fenofibrate (Tricor)
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
Niacin (Niaspan, Niacor, Slo-Niacin)
Oral contraceptives
Spironolactone (Aldactone)
Warfarin (Coumadin)

Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Crestor should never be used during pregnancy because a developing baby needs plenty of cholesterol. Your doctor will prescribe Crestor only if you are highly unlikely to become pregnant while taking this drug. If you do become pregnant, tell your doctor immediately.

Likewise, Crestor should never be used while you're breastfeeding.

Recommended dosage

ADULTS

The usual starting dose is 10 milligrams once a day. However, your doctor may start you at 5 milligrams per day if your LDL cholesterol level doesn't require a high dose or if you have a predisposing risk factor for muscle damage (see "Special warnings about this medication"). If your LDL cholesterol level is above 190, the doctor may start you at 20 milligrams once a day. If this dose fails to lower your cholesterol, the doctor may increase your dose to 40 milligrams per day.

If you have a rare genetic disorder known as homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, which causes unusually high cholesterol levels, the doctor will probably start you at 20 milligrams once a day. If needed, the doctor may raise the dose to a maximum of 40 milligrams a day.