Rosuvastatin calcium
Consumer Medicine Information
WHAT IS IN THIS LEAFLET
This leaflet answers some of the common questions people ask about ROSUVASTATIN GH. It does not contain all the information that is known about ROSUVASTATIN GH.
It does not take the place of talking to your doctor and pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor will have weighed the risks of you taking ROSUVASTATIN GH against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
WHAT ROSUVASTATIN GH IS FOR
ROSUVASTATIN GH is used to lower high cholesterol levels.
Although you may have normal cholesterol, Rosuvastatin can also be used to reduce the risk of you having a stroke or heart attack if you are a male, 50 years or over, or female, 60 years or over, and have at least 2 risk factors for having a heart attack or stroke. Examples of such risk factors would be high blood pressure, low levels of good cholesterol (HDL), smoking or a family history of premature coronary heart disease. Your doctor may also do a blood test to measure a substance called C Reactive Protein to help determine whether Rosuvastatin should be prescribed for this use.
Cholesterol and trigylcerides
Everyone has cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood. They are fatty substances needed by the body for many things.
Triglycerides are an energy source for the body. Cholesterol is used for such things as building cells, making bile acids (which help to digest foods) and making some hormones.
There are different types of cholesterol. Too much of the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) can block the blood vessels that supply your heart and brain with blood, and can cause heart attack, angina and stroke. The “good” cholesterol (HDL) helps to remove the bad cholesterol from the blood vessels. High levels of triglycerides can be associated with a low level of “good” cholesterol and may increase the risk of heart disease.
How ROSUVASTATIN GH works
ROSUVASTATIN GH belongs to a group of medicines known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (also known as ‘statins’). It lowers the “bad” cholesterol, and raises the “good” cholesterol when exercise and changes to diet are not enough on their own.
Cholesterol is present in many foods and is also made by your body. ROSUVASTATIN GH does not reduce the cholesterol that comes from fat in food. Because of this, when you are taking ROSUVASTATIN GH, you need to follow a low-fat diet, control your weight and exercise regularly.
High cholesterol is also more likely to occur with certain diseases or if you have a family history of high cholesterol.
Your doctor will have explained why you are being treated with ROSUVASTATIN GH and told you what dose to take. Your doctor may need to check your cholesterol levels before prescribing ROSUVASTATIN GH or changing your dose.
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
Your doctor may prescribe this medicine for another use. Ask your doctor if you want more information.
ROSUVASTATIN GH is not addictive.
ROSUVASTATIN GH is not recommended for use in children as its effects in children have not been established.
BEFORE YOU USE ROSUVASTATIN GH
When you must not use it
Do not use ROSUVASTATIN GH if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Ask your doctor about effective methods of contraception.
If you become pregnant, stop taking ROSUVASTATIN GH as soon as you find out and see your doctor immediately.
Do not use ROSUVASTATIN GH if you are breast feeding. We do not know if your baby can take in ROSUVASTATIN GH from breast milk if you are breast feeding.
Do not use ROSUVASTATIN GH if you have active liver disease or if tests show you have elevated levels of liver enzymes which may show that you have a problem with your liver.
Do not use ROSUVASTATIN GH 40 mg if you have:
- low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism)
- a personal or family history of hereditary muscular disorders
- a previous history of muscular problems from using other lipid-lowering agents
- a history of very heavy alcohol use
- Asian heritage
- been prescribed another class of lipid lowering agent called a fibrate
- been prescribed any medicine containing fusidic acid
- severe kidney impairment
- situations that may increase ROSUVASTATIN GH blood levels
Do not use after the use by (expiry) date printed on the pack. It may have no effect at all, or worse, an entirely unexpected effect if you take it after the expiry date.
Do not use ROSUVASTATIN GH if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
Do not use it to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to. Do not give this medicine to anyone else.
Before you start to use it
You must tell your doctor if:
- you have any allergies to:
– any other statins such as simvastatin (e.g. ZOCOR, LIPEX); pravastatin (e.g. PRAVACHOL); atorvastatin (e.g. LIPITOR); fluvastatin (e.g.VASTIN)
– any ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
If you have an allergic reaction, you may get a skin rash, hay fever, difficulty in breathing or feel faint. - you have any of these medical conditions:
– liver problems
– kidney problems
– low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism)
– a personal or family history of muscle disorders
– a history of muscle problems from using other lipid-lowering agents
It may not be safe for you to take ROSUVASTATIN GH if you have any of these conditions. Your doctor may do a blood test to check if you have any problems, and may adjust the dose of ROSUVASTATIN GH. - you have any unexplained aches or pains in your muscles
- you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption may not be safe in patients taking ROSUVASTATIN GH.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines including:
- cyclosporin (e.g. SANDIMMUN and NEORAL, used, for example, after organ transplant)
- antacids (medicines used to treat heartburn and indigestion). ROSUVASTATIN GH can be taken 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking an antacid
- warfarin (e.g. COUMADIN and MAREVAN, used to stop blood clots)
- gemfibrozil (e.g. LOPID, JEZIL, and AUSGEM, used to lower blood lipids)
- fusidic acid (e.g. FUCIDIN) used to treat some infections
- various protease inhibitor combinations with ritonavir used to treat HIV infection
- medicines that you buy at the chemist, supermarket or health food shop, including herbal medicines.
Your doctor will consider if ROSUVASTATIN GH should be used together with any of these medicines, or may wish to adjust the dose of ROSUVASTATIN GH or the other medicines. These medicines may affect the way ROSUVASTATIN GH works.
Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines.
If you have not told your doctor about any of these things, tell them before you take ROSUVASTATIN GH.
Effects on driving and using machinery
Be careful driving a car or operating machinery until you know if ROSUVASTATIN GH affects you. ROSUVASTATIN GH generally does not cause any problems with your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. However, as with many other medicines, ROSUVASTATIN GH may cause dizziness in some people.
TAKING ROSUVASTATIN GH
How to take it
Depending on your condition and ethnic background, your doctor will decide the most appropriate starting dose for you.
If you have high cholesterol, the usual starting dose is one 5 mg or 10 mg tablet taken once daily. Your doctor will monitor your cholesterol and triglyceride levels during your treatment, and, if needed, may increase your dose to 20 mg once daily. For most patients a maximum daily dose of 20 mg ROSUVASTATIN GH is sufficient to treat high cholesterol.
A small number of patients may need to further increase their ROSUVASTATIN GH dose to 40 mg once daily, for example patients whose high cholesterol is hereditary.
If your cholesterol is not high but you have risk factors for having a heart attack or stroke, your doctor may start you on 20 mg.
Your doctor will advise you on the dose that’s right for your condition. The daily dose of ROSUVASTATIN GH must not exceed 40 mg daily.
DO NOT INCREASE OR ADJUST YOUR ROSUVASTATIN GH DOSE YOURSELF.
Take ROSUVASTATIN GH once a day, at about the same time each day.
Keeping a regular time for taking ROSUVASTATIN GH will help to remind you to take it.
Swallow each tablet whole with a drink of water.
ROSUVASTATIN GH can be taken at any time of the day. It does not matter whether you take ROSUVASTATIN GH with food or on an empty stomach.
While taking ROSUVASTATIN GH you also need to follow a low-fat diet, control your weight and exercise regularly.
How long to take it
You must continue to take it as directed.
ROSUVASTATIN GH helps lower your blood cholesterol and triglycerides. It does not cure your condition. If you stop taking ROSUVASTATIN GH, your cholesterol and triglycerides levels may rise again.
You may have to take cholesterol-lowering medicines for the rest of your life.
If you forget to take it
If you forget to take a dose of ROSUVASTATIN GH, take it as soon as you remember, as long as it is more than 6 hours before your next dose is due. Otherwise, wait until your next dose is due and take it as normal.
Do not double the dose to make up for the one you missed. If you have trouble remembering when to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
Overdose
Telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital immediately if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much ROSUVASTATIN GH even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
WHILE YOU ARE TAKING ROSUVASTATIN GH
Things you must do
Have your blood cholesterol and triglycerides checked when your doctor says so to make sure ROSUVASTATIN GH is working.
Stop taking ROSUVASTATIN GH and contact your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while you are taking ROSUVASTATIN GH.
Things you must not do
Do not stop taking ROSUVASTATIN GH unless you have discussed it with your doctor.
SIDE EFFECTS
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking ROSUVASTATIN GH. ROSUVASTATIN GH helps most people with too much cholesterol, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- headache
- constipation
- dizziness
- nausea (feeling sick)
- stomach pain
- unusual tiredness
- itchy skin
- memory loss
- stiff or painful joints (arthralgia)
These are all mild side effects.
Tell your doctor if you notice a significant increase in your need to urinate or if you are significantly more hungry or thirsty than usual.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to casualty at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:
- aching muscles, muscle tenderness or weakness not caused by exercise, particularly if you also have a fever or generally feel unwell
- swelling of the face, eyelids and lips
These are all serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention.
Serious side effects are rare.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell. Some people may get other side effects while taking ROSUVASTATIN GH.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
AFTER TAKING ROSUVASTATIN GH
Storage
Keep your tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them. If you take ROSUVASTATIN GH out of the blister pack it will not keep well.
Keep it in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Protect from light and moisture.
Do not store it or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where young children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard, at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground, is a good place to store medicines.
Do not leave it in the car on hot days.
Disposal
Ask your pharmacist what to do with any ROSUVASTATIN GH tablets you have left over if your doctor tells you to stop taking them, or you find that the expiry date has passed.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
What ROSUVASTATIN GH looks like
- ROSUVASTATIN GH 5 mg are Yellow, round, biconvex, coated tablet debossed with “ROS” over “5” on one side and plain on the other side.
- ROSUVASTATIN GH 10 mg are Pink, round, biconvex, coated tablet debossed with “ROS” over “10” on one side and plain on the other side.
- ROSUVASTATIN GH 20 mg are Pink, round, biconvex, coated tablet debossed with “ROS” over “20” on one side and plain on the other side.
- ROSUVASTATIN GH 40 mg are Pink, oval, biconvex, coated tablet debossed with “ROS” on one side and “40” on the other side.
Available in blister packs of 30 tablets.
Ingredients
ROSUVASTATIN GH contains rosuvastatin calcium as the active ingredient, equivalent to rosuvastatin 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg.
The tablets also contain the following in-active ingredients:
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Colloidal anhydrous silica
- Crospovidone
- Lactose
- Magnesium stearate
- Opadry II Yellow 33K620000 (ARTG 109007, contains hypromellose, titanium dioxide, lactose, triacetin, quinolone yellow aluminium lake, sunset yellow FCF, indigo carmine) – 5 mg
- Opadry II Pink 33K640001 (ARTG 109004, contains hypromellose, titanium dioxide, lactose, triacetin, sunset yellow FCF, indigo carmine, allura red AC aluminium lake) – 10 mg & 20 mg
- Opadry II Pink 33K640000 (ARTG 109005, contains hypromellose, titanium dioxide, lactose, triacetin, sunset yellow FCF, indigo carmine, allura red AC aluminium lake) – 40 mg
Distributor
Generic Health Pty Ltd
Suite 1, 1175 Toorak Road
CAMBERWELL VIC 3124
This leaflet was prepared in July 2013.
Australian Registration Numbers:
5 mg AUST R 183709
10 mg AUST R 183715
20 mg AUST R 183717
40 mg AUST R 183719
Published by MIMS March 2015