Always take rosuvastatin as instructed by your doctor and follow the instructions that come with your medicine.
Dosage
Your dose of rosuvastatin will depend on why you need it, your cholesterol levels, and other medicines you may already be taking.
The usual dose for adults is:
- to prevent heart attacks and strokes – 20mg, taken once a day, although sometimes a lower dose is prescribed. If you have very high cholesterol and are at high risk of heart attacks or strokes, a specialist may prescribe 40mg a day. This dose is not suitable for everyone
- high cholesterol – 5mg to 10mg, taken once a day. Your doctor may increase your dose every 4 weeks up to 20mg a day
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you're unsure how much to take.
Doses for children
The maximum dose for children is 20mg a day. Your child's doctor will work out the right dose of rosuvastatin for your child. This will depend on why they need it, their age and any other medicines they are already taking.
How to take it
You'll usually take rosuvastatin once a day. You can take it at any time, but it's best to take it at the same time every day.
Rosuvastatin will not usually upset your stomach, so you can take it with or without food.
Swallow rosuvastatin tablets whole with a drink of water.
How long to take it for
You'll usually take rosuvastatin for life. The benefits of the medicine will only continue for as long as you take it.
You may want to stop rosuvastatin if you think you're having side effects. Talk to your doctor first to see if it really is a side effect of rosuvastatin or an unrelated problem. Your doctor may decide to lower your dose or change your medicine.
You will not get any withdrawal symptoms. But stopping rosuvastatin may cause your cholesterol to rise. This increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes.
If you want to stop taking your medicine, it's important to find another way to lower your cholesterol.
If you forget to take it
If you forget to take a dose of rosuvastatin, take it as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until the next day, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.
Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for the forgotten one.
If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.
If you take too much
Taking an extra dose of rosuvastatin is unlikely to harm you. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you're worried or if you take more than 1 extra dose.