Rosuvastatin
CrestorPubChem CID 446157 · 3D model
Drag to rotate. Scroll or pinch to zoom.
Lowers cholesterol by blocking a liver enzyme the body uses to make it, prompting the liver to pull more “bad” LDL cholesterol out of the bloodstream.
How it works
Rosuvastatin blocks an enzyme in the liver that's needed to make cholesterol. With less cholesterol being produced, liver cells respond by pulling more bad LDL cholesterol out of the blood to make up the difference. This lowers LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream and slightly improves triglycerides and good HDL cholesterol too. It typically takes about four weeks of daily use to see the full cholesterol-lowering effect.
What it’s used for
Used to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and related heart problems in people with elevated cardiovascular risk. Also prescribed to lower bad LDL cholesterol in adults with high cholesterol, to help slow the buildup of plaque in arteries, and in children with certain inherited high-cholesterol conditions.
- Mechanism
- HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Cardiovascular