Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding CholesterolWhat Is Crestor?What Is Lipitor?Dosage OverviewHow Fast Do They Work?EfficacyAlternative Treatment OptionsSide EffectsInteractionsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Understanding Cholesterol
What Is Crestor?
What Is Lipitor?
Dosage Overview
How Fast Do They Work?
Efficacy
Alternative Treatment Options
Side Effects
Interactions
Frequently Asked Questions
Crestor (rosuvastatin)andLipitor (atorvastatin)arestatins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors), a class of drugs used to reducecholesterol and triglyceride levelsin the blood.
These brand-name medications work alone or with other drugs or non-medical therapies to reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disorders.
High cholesterol levels are a significant health problem of the present age. Almost 2 in 5 adults in the United States have high cholesterol levels in the blood.
Too much cholesterol puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease andstroke, two leading causes of death in the United States.
If you present unhealthy cholesterol or triglyceride levels to your healthcare provider, you may be prescribed Crestor, Lipitor, or another orally administered statin.
As such, this article will provide an in-depth analysis of Crestor vs. Lipitor, examining each’s specific uses, dosing requirements, potential side effects, storage requirements, and more.
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Cholesterol is an essential component of cell membranes of body organs, which helps the body absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. The body can produce the required cholesterol levels and obtain it from food.
Another type of fat istriglycerides. In fat cells, triglycerides can be broken down to provide energy for the body’s metabolic processes, including growth.
High quantities of cholesterols and triglycerides can harm the body, causing various health problems. Cholesterols and triglycerides travel in the body and combine with proteins to make particles called lipoproteins.
There are different types of lipoproteins in the body with different purposes. Lipoproteins include:
Crestor is the brand name of the active drug rosuvastatin, an HMG Co-A reductase inhibitor (statin) that is Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the following:
Your healthcare provider may prescribe Crestor for off-label indications. Always use this drug as prescribed.
How Does Crestor Work?
Crestor acts primarily in the liver to decrease the synthesis of VLDL and lower triglyceride (fat) to decrease cholesterol levels and slow plaque build-up in the blood vessels.
Crestor is available in coated 5-, 10-, 20-, and 40-milligrams (mg) strength tablets. It is FDA-approved to treat various conditions in adults and children 7 and older.
Crestor’s active ingredient, rosuvastatin, is also available as a generic product administered via an oral tablet.
Lipitor is the brand name of the active drug atorvastatin.
This medication is also an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) and is indicated to reduce the risk of:
Additionally, Lipitor is also FDA-approved as a complement to diet to reduce LDL-C for the following:
Lipitor also treats adults with primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels leading to heart disease) and/or hypertriglyceridemia.
How Does Lipitor Work?
Lipitor reduces the production in the body to decrease the amount of cholesterol that may build up on the walls of the arteries and reduce blood flow to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body.
Lipitor is available in coated tablets of 10-, 20-, 40-, and 80-mg strengths. It is FDA-approved to treat various conditions in adults and children 10 and older.
Dosing Comparison
The following outlines basic dosing guidelines for Crestor and Lipitor. Note, however, that your dosage may vary based on the discretion of your healthcare provider.
Various factors, too, may affect your dosing volume and schedule, such as weight, preexisting conditions, or past heart surgeries.
Crestor
The recommended dosing range for Crestor is between 5 mg and 40 mg orally once daily. It can be administered as a single dose with or without food.
The initial dose or when switching from another statin drug therapy, the starting dose should be minimal and then increased if needed according to the individual’s response and goal of treatment.
The 40-mg dose of Crestor should be used only for those who have yet to achieve their LDL-C goal utilizing the 20-mg dose.
Crestor dosing guidelines are as follows:
Hyperlipidemia, mixed dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (type III hyperlipoproteinemia), and slowing of the progression of atherosclerosis:
HoFH:
Dosage in people of Asian descent:
Use with other drugs:
Dose in people with severe renal impairment:
Lipitor
Take Lipitor orally once daily at any time, with or without food.
Your healthcare provider will check the LDL-C four weeks after initiating Lipitor and adjust the dosage if necessary.
Lipitor dosing guidelines are as follows:
Recommended dosage in adults:
Recommended dosage in children 10 or older with HeFH:
Recommended Dosage in children 10 or older with HoFH:
Dosage modifications due to drug interactions:
How Fast Does Crestor vs. Lipitor Work?
A statin drug takes about six weeks to stabilize cholesterol levels. Usually, the healthcare providers would re-check your cholesterol after about eight weeks.
The clinical studies of Crestor vs. Lipitor show that both these drugs start working a few weeks after the initial dose.
Crestor and Lipitor show a visible reduction in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in various medical conditions within six weeks of treatment.
Comparing Efficacy
Crestor and Lipitor are first-line medications that treat various cholesterol and lipid profile-related problems. These effectively control these problems when used alone or as an aid to dietary and lifestyle changes.
Various studies have compared the effectiveness of statins to show which drug is better than the other or has more effectiveness than the rest.
Crestor generally is more practical and shows early symptom improvement compared to other statins.
For example, in one such meta-analysis, Crestor has proved to be more effective at treating hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) in people compared to Lipitor and Zocor (simvastatin).
Another study comparing Crestor with Lipitor for the reduction of LD-C in people with type 2 diabetes compares the effectiveness of the two drugs.
Crestor was significantly more effective than atorvastatin at reducing LDL-C and achieving European LDL-C goals at the initial and following doses.
Alternative Treatment Optons
Drug therapy with statins and other cholesterol-lowering agents can lower cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular disease risks. But, other non-pharmaceutical methods can help to lessen the effects of cholesterol.
Various dietary strategies, including theOrnishandMediterraneandiets are designed to lower lipid levels. Additionally, phytosterols, fiber, soy products, or fish oil consumption has been linked to lowering lipid levels.
Drug companies note that over 30% of people who started on statins for cholesterol-lowering therapy do not continue their prescriptions.
Other lifestyle changes can also be helpful.Obesityraises harmful cholesterol levels in the body. Excess body fat affects cholesterol metabolism and reduces the body’s ability to remove LDL cholesterol.
It increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Physical activity and regular exercise can help maintain a healthy weight and lower the cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Alcohol and smoking also increase the risk of vascular diseases. Smoking damages the blood vessels and increases the risk of heart disease. Excessive alcohol intake can also raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.
Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol also reduces the risk and improves your heart and overall health.
Side Effects & Safety
Like all drugs, Crestor and Lipitor carry the potential for adverse side effects. Therefore, be sure to closely monitor yourself or a loved one for the emergence of any symptoms.
Furthermore, the FDA has approved new labeling changes for statins regarding their side effects and possible drug interactions to ensure their safe and effective use.
Common Side Effects
The FDA has updated statin labels to outline the potential for non-serious and reversible side effects, which include:
Some other common side effects of Crestor and Lipitor include:
The use of Crestor may cause depression and difficulty sleeping or staying asleep.
Additionally, using Lipitor is sometimes associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Severe Side Effects
Some side effects of Crestor and Lipitor may be severe and need immediate medical attention.
Keep a close check on the following symptoms and call your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:
If you are allergic to Crestor, Lipitor, or any of their components, symptoms may include:
There have been rare reports of severe liver problems with statins.
Call your healthcare professional right away if you have the following symptoms:
This may be a partial list of adverse effects. Call your healthcare provider or seek medical help if you develop new or worsening symptoms.
Precautions:
A person with the following conditions should avoid taking both these drugs to avoid adverse effects:
Finally, know that the chances of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis are higher in people of Asian origin when taking Crestor.
Potential Interactions
Crestor vs. Lipitor may interact with other medications. Some medications interact with both of these drugs. However, there are exceptions as well.
Crestor & Lipitor
The following drugs may interact with both Crestor and Lipitor:
The following are the medications that interact with Crestor. These drugs may need to change in dose or are completely inhibited when taking Crestor.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have or are currently taking any of the following:
The following are the medications that interact with Lipitor. These drugs may need to change in dose or are completely inhibited when taking Lipitor.
Lipitor interacts with the following medications:
This is a partial list of drugs. Always consult your healthcare provider about all prescription, non-prescription, and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and multivitamins you take before taking Crestor or Lipitor.
Your healthcare provider will determine the best dose to avoid drug-drug interactions.
Summary
Statins are a class of prescription drugs used together to reduce blood levels of bad cholesterol.
Crestor and Lipitor are frontline statin drugs marketed as single-ingredient products containing active drugs rosuvastatin and atorvastatin.
These drugs are sometimes used with lifestyle changes such as diet, weight loss, and exercise to reduce the risk of various diseases, including stroke, heart attack, heart surgeries, and other vascular diseases.
These drugs effectively treat these problems and improve the symptoms within a few weeks.
Like other drugs, they have a few limitations regarding their side effects, and when used in pregnancy, breastfeeding, older adults, and people with liver disorders.
Always use these drugs as your healthcare provider prescribes for maximum therapeutic benefits.
Frequently Asked QuestionsStore Crestor and Lipitor at room temperature (between 68 and 77 degrees F) and in a dry place.Keep your medicines away from the reach and sight of children and pets. Do not store it in the bathroom. Discard all unwanted and unused medicines. Call your local waste management department or pharmacist for details.Discard unused or expired medicine safely. Do not keep old or unused medicine around. Do not flush your medication down the toilet or throw medicine away in the trash.A better way to dispose of unused medicines is to give them back to your pharmacist or use community “drug give back” programs if available.
Store Crestor and Lipitor at room temperature (between 68 and 77 degrees F) and in a dry place.Keep your medicines away from the reach and sight of children and pets. Do not store it in the bathroom. Discard all unwanted and unused medicines. Call your local waste management department or pharmacist for details.
Store Crestor and Lipitor at room temperature (between 68 and 77 degrees F) and in a dry place.
Keep your medicines away from the reach and sight of children and pets. Do not store it in the bathroom. Discard all unwanted and unused medicines. Call your local waste management department or pharmacist for details.
Discard unused or expired medicine safely. Do not keep old or unused medicine around. Do not flush your medication down the toilet or throw medicine away in the trash.A better way to dispose of unused medicines is to give them back to your pharmacist or use community “drug give back” programs if available.
Discard unused or expired medicine safely. Do not keep old or unused medicine around. Do not flush your medication down the toilet or throw medicine away in the trash.
A better way to dispose of unused medicines is to give them back to your pharmacist or use community “drug give back” programs if available.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DailyMed.Label: Crestor- rosuvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.DailyMed.Label: Lipitor- atorvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cholesterol.MedlinePlus.Overview of cholesterol and lipid disorders.MedlinePlus.Triglycerides test.Britannica.Lipid - fats, oils, phospholipids: classification and formation.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Highlights of prescribing information.Crestor(rosuvastatin) tablets for oral use.MedlinePlus.Rosuvastatin.DailyMed.Label: rosuvastatin calcium- rosuvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.MedlinePlus.Atorvastatin.British Heart Foundation.Statins: common questions answered.Zhang L, Zhang S, Yu Y, Jiang H, Ge J.Efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin vs. atorvastatin in lowering LDL cholesterol.Herz. 2020;45(6):594-602.Berne C, Siewert-Delle A.Comparison of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin for lipid lowering in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: results from the URANUS study.Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2005;4:7. doi:10.1186/1475-2840-4-7Rosenthal RL.Effectiveness of altering serum cholesterol levels without drugs.Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent).2000;13(4):351-355. doi:10.1080/08998280.2000.11927704MedlinePlus.Cholesterol.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent high cholesterol.Food and Drug Administration.Cholesterol-lowering drugs get labeling changes.U.S. National Library of Medicine. Dailymed.Label: Lipitor- atorvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.MedlinePlus.Storing your medicines.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DailyMed.Label: Crestor- rosuvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.DailyMed.Label: Lipitor- atorvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cholesterol.MedlinePlus.Overview of cholesterol and lipid disorders.MedlinePlus.Triglycerides test.Britannica.Lipid - fats, oils, phospholipids: classification and formation.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Highlights of prescribing information.Crestor(rosuvastatin) tablets for oral use.MedlinePlus.Rosuvastatin.DailyMed.Label: rosuvastatin calcium- rosuvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.MedlinePlus.Atorvastatin.British Heart Foundation.Statins: common questions answered.Zhang L, Zhang S, Yu Y, Jiang H, Ge J.Efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin vs. atorvastatin in lowering LDL cholesterol.Herz. 2020;45(6):594-602.Berne C, Siewert-Delle A.Comparison of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin for lipid lowering in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: results from the URANUS study.Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2005;4:7. doi:10.1186/1475-2840-4-7Rosenthal RL.Effectiveness of altering serum cholesterol levels without drugs.Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent).2000;13(4):351-355. doi:10.1080/08998280.2000.11927704MedlinePlus.Cholesterol.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent high cholesterol.Food and Drug Administration.Cholesterol-lowering drugs get labeling changes.U.S. National Library of Medicine. Dailymed.Label: Lipitor- atorvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.MedlinePlus.Storing your medicines.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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MedlinePlus.Cholesterol.
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U.S. National Library of Medicine. Dailymed.Label: Lipitor- atorvastatin calcium tablet, film coated.
MedlinePlus.Storing your medicines.
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