Rosuvastatin interacts with a defined set of drug classes, and is contraindicated in pregnancy, active liver disease, and caution in Asian patients at 40 mg. Screening for these before the first dose prevents almost all serious events.
Interaction classes to screen
| Class | Concern | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Metabolic inhibitors | Raised plasma levels and exaggerated effect | Reduce dose or space administration |
| Metabolic inducers | Reduced exposure and treatment failure | Review response and adjust |
| Same-target agents | Additive pharmacology | Avoid duplicate therapy |
| Agents affecting the same organ system | myalgia, headache, proteinuria at high dose | Monitor and document |
Key takeaways
- Screen every new prescription against the patient's full medicine list.
- Common reactions, myalgia, headache, proteinuria at high dose, are amplified by interacting drugs.
- Document the interaction check in the dispensing record.
- Re-screen whenever another long-term medicine is added.
Monitoring in practice
Most interaction risk is manageable with a scheduled review after the onset window of LDL response at 2–4 weeks and one further check at steady state. Patients on multiple chronic medicines benefit from an annual structured medication review.
Rosuvastatin at a glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Drug class | HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor |
| Common brand | Crestor |
| Licensed use | hyperlipidaemia with high-intensity LDL lowering |
| Available strengths | 5, 10, 20, 40 mg |
| Dosage form | film-coated tablet |
| Typical onset | LDL response at 2–4 weeks |
| Duration / dosing interval | 24-hour dosing |
| Storage | below 30 °C |