Ratings & Reviews

Crestor is a statin that is used to lower “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides while also increasing the amount of “good” cholesterol in the blood.  The drug works by slowing down the production of cholesterol and was approved by the FDA in August of 2003.  Crestor is marketed by AstraZeneca.

Crestor side effects include the following: constipation, heartburn, dizziness, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, coughing, joint pain, depression, muscle pain, lack of energy, yellowing of the skin or eyes, fever, chest pain, nausea, fatigue, unusual bleeding or bruising, rash, hives, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing or swallowing, flu-like symptoms, hoarseness, swelling, or numbness or tingling in fingers or toes.

The use of Crestor could result in much more serious side effects, such as cardiomyopathy, the deterioration of the function of heart muscle; heart attack or heart failure; rhabdomyolysis, a disease which causes muscle tissue to break down and potentially cause kidney damage; and ventricular dysfunction.   Three months after it was approved, there were claims that three patients who were using Crestor developed kidney failure or muscle damage while taking approved doses.  The Lancet, a prominent medical journal, has criticized AstraZeneca for not using reliable data about Crestor’s reliability and efficacy in its marketing tactics. The FDA has issued a public health warning regarding the risks of taking Crestor.