Crestor is a brand-name prescription drug used to treat high cholesterol. It works to reduce the amount of low-density lipoprotein (“LDL” or “bad cholesterol”) and triglycerides (fat molecules) in the body. Crestor reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering levels of these two substances.

Crestor is often prescribed alongside, and works best when combined with, lifestyle changes to improve your fitness. These may include diet, exercise, and weight loss.

Crestor is available via prescription from a licensed health care provider. It contains the active drug rosuvastatin, which is available in generic form. Talk to your doctor about whether Crestor is right for you.

Crestor is used to reduce the likelihood of heart attack and stroke and to decrease the chance that heart surgery will be needed in people with heart disease or significant risk factors for developing heart disease.

Crestor is also used to treat high cholesterol. It is often prescribed to children and teenagers with familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia, in which the body cannot naturally remove cholesterol from the blood.

Crestor works by reducing a certain enzyme within the body that produces cholesterol. It belongs to a class of medications called statins.

Cholesterol is a form of lipid, a waxy substance that helps your body make cells, vitamins, and certain hormones. It is not inherently bad. Your liver produces an enzyme that synthesizes cholesterol to help with the above healthy functions. Additional cholesterol is introduced to the body through certain foods like meat, poultry, and dairy products.

There are two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) and low-density lipoproteins (LDLs). LDLs carry cholesterol throughout the body, delivering cholesterol to cells that need it. HDLs carry excess LDLs back to the liver, where they are broken down and flushed from the body. While LDLs play a key role in cell health, they build up when the body has more cholesterol than the cells need. This buildup turns into plaque in the arteries (blood vessels). As plaque covers the artery walls, the blood vessels become narrow. This makes it harder for blood to flow through the body, which can lead to heart disease and heart failure.

Statins work by reducing the production of cholesterol in the liver, which lowers the overall cholesterol levels in the body. Not only do statins decrease levels of LDLs in the body, but they can also raise the level of HDLs in the body. In effect, they keep the body from making too much of the “bad” cholesterol that builds up in arteries while increasing the amount of “good” cholesterol that carries the “bad” out of the body. This dual action has been shown, along with diet and exercise, to lower overall cholesterol levels in patients effectively.

While adverse reactions to Crestor are uncommon, some patients may experience mild side effects, including constipation, stomach pain, dizziness, insomnia, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, and nausea. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away.

Some side effects can be serious. Contact your doctor if you are experiencing any number of these side effects:

• Muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness
  
• Lack of energy
  
• Fever
  
• Chest pain
  
• Dark, reddish urine or decreased amounts of urine
  
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes
  
• Pain in the upper right part of your abdomen
  
• Extreme tiredness or weakness
  
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Flu-like symptoms
  
• Allergic reactions (rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs)
  
  

As with all prescription medications, be sure to inform the prescribing doctor about any medical conditions you have been previously diagnosed with and any medications or supplements you currently take before taking Crestor. Crestor can interact with other forms of medicine, causing potentially serious side effects. In addition, let your doctor know if you are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant before starting treatment with this medication.

Crestor is supplied as an oral tablet to be taken by mouth. It can be taken with or without food and must be swallowed whole (not crushed or chewed). In most cases, Crestor is taken once a day.

Your preliminary dosage of Crestor will depend on your age, body weight, and the severity of your condition.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, you should skip the missed dose and take the next one as scheduled.

Keep Crestor in a closed container at room temperature. Avoid exposing this medication to excessive heat or moisture. Keep all medication containers out of reach of small children.

Do not exceed the dosage prescribed or discontinue using Crestor without consulting your health care provider first.

Crestor is currently only available via prescription. This means that a licensed health care provider must authorize the use of this medication.

If you are looking for a prescription, doctors on Sesame can write a prescription–or refill an existing one–during a virtual or in-person visit. Note that not all drugs can be prescribed via an online video appointment. In some cases, an in-person doctor's visit is required for a prescription.

Depending on the medication, you can arrange for same-day pickup at your pharmacy. Book an appointment with a provider on Sesame today to discuss whether or not Crestor is right for you.

Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your health care provider. Sesame cannot guarantee that you will be provided a prescription after a video or in-person appointment. Providers on Sesame are unable to prescribe controlled substances. For more information about controlled substances, check out the Drug Enforcement Agency’s scheduling guidelines here.

Providers on Sesame can write a prescription for Crestor to be picked up near you—often within the same day. Don’t wait to get your prescription filled. Talk to a provider on Sesame and get your prescription ordered right away for fast and convenient pickup from a pharmacy of your choice.

Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your doctor.