Rosuvastatin 15 mg film-coated tablets

• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

1. What Rosuvastatin is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Rosuvastatin
3. How to take Rosuvastatin
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Rosuvastatin
6. Contents of the pack and other information

Rosuvastatin is used to correct the levels of fatty substances in the blood called lipids, the most common of which is cholesterol.

There are different types of cholesterol found in the blood – “bad” cholesterol (LDL-C) and “good” cholesterol (HDL-C).

• Rosuvastatin can reduce the “bad” cholesterol and increase the “good” cholesterol.
• It works by helping to block your body’s production of “bad” cholesterol. It also improves your body’s ability to remove it from your blood.

For most people, high cholesterol does not affect the way they feel because it does not produce any symptoms. However, if it is left untreated, fatty deposits can build up in the walls of your blood vessels causing them to narrow.

Sometimes, these narrowed blood vessels can get blocked which can cut off the blood supply to the heart or brain leading to a heart attack or a stroke. By lowering your cholesterol levels, you can reduce your risk of having a heart attack, a stroke or related health problems.

You need to keep taking rosuvastatin, even if it has got your cholesterol to the right level, because it prevents your cholesterol levels from creeping up again and causing build-up of fatty deposits.

However, you should stop if your doctor tells you to do so, or you have become pregnant.

• are allergic to rosuvastatin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
• are pregnant or breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking rosuvastatin stop taking it immediately and tell your doctor. Women should avoid becoming pregnant while taking rosuvastatin by using suitable contraception.
• have liver disease.
• have severe kidney problems.
• have repeated or unexplained muscle aches or pains.
• take a drug combination of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (used for viral infection of the liver called hepatitis C).
• take a drug called ciclosporin (used, for example, after organ transplants).

If any of the above applies to you (or you are in doubt), please go back and see your doctor.

In addition, do not take Rosuvastatin 30 mg or 40 mg (the highest doses) if

• you have moderate kidney problems (if in doubt, please ask your doctor).
• your thyroid gland is not working properly.
• you have had any repeated or unexplained muscle aches or pains, a personal or family history of muscle problems, or a previous history of muscle problems when taking other cholesterol-lowering medicines.
• you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol.
• you are of Asian origin (Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Indian).
• you take other medicines called fibrates to lower your cholesterol.

If any of the above applies to you (or you are in doubt), please go back and see your doctor.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking rosuvastatin if

• you have problems with your kidneys.
• you have problems with your liver.
• you have had repeated or unexplained muscle aches or pains, a personal or family history of muscle problems, or a previous history of muscle problems when taking other cholesterol-lowering medicines. Tell your doctor immediately if you have unexplained muscle aches or pains especially if you feel unwell or have a fever. Also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have a muscle weakness that is constant.
• you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol.
• your thyroid gland is not working properly.
• you have severe respiratory failure.
• you take other medicines called fibrates to lower your cholesterol. Please read this leaflet carefully, even if you have taken other medicines for high cholesterol before.
• you take medicines used to treat the HIV infection e.g. ritonavir with lopinavir and/or atazanavir, please see “Other medicines and Rosuvastatin”
• you are taking or have taken in the last 7 days a medicine called fusidic acid, (a medicine for bacterial infection) orally or by injection. The combination of fusidic acid and rosuvastatin can lead to serious muscle problems (rhabdomyolysis), please see section “Other medicines and Rosuvastatin”
• you are over 70 (as your doctor needs to choose the right start dose of rosuvastatin to suit you).
• you are of Asian origin – that is Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Indian. Your doctor needs to choose the right start dose of rosuvastatin to suit you.
• you have ever developed a severe skin rash or skin peeling, blistering and/or mouth sores after taking rosuvastatin or other related medicines.
• you have or have had myasthenia (a disease with general muscle weakness including in some cases muscles used when breathing), or ocular myasthenia (a disease causing eye muscle weakness) as statins may sometimes aggravate the condition or lead to the occurrence of myasthenia (see section 4).

Serious skin reactions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) have been reported in association with rosuvastatin treatment. Stop using rosuvastatin and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the symptoms described in section 4.

If any of the above applies to you (or if you are not sure)

• do not take Rosuvastatin 30 mg and 40 mg (the highest doses) and check with your doctor or pharmacist before you actually start taking any dose of rosuvastatin.

In a small number of people, statins can affect the liver. This is identified by a simple test which looks for increased levels of liver enzymes in the blood. For this reason, your doctor will usually carry out this blood test (liver function test) before and during treatment with rosuvastatin.

While you are on this medicine your doctor will monitor you closely if you have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. You are likely to be at risk of developing diabetes if you have high levels of sugars and fats in your blood, are overweight and have high blood pressure.

• If the patient is under 6 years old: Rosuvastatin should not be given to children younger than 6 years.
• If the patient is below 18 years of age: The 30 mg and 40 mg tablets are not suitable for use in children and adolescents below 18 years of age.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.

Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

• ciclosporin (used for example, after organ transplants).
• darolutamide (used to treat cancer).
• regorafenib (used to treat cancer).
• warfarin, clopidogrel or tricagrelor or any other drug used for thinning the blood (their blood thinning effect and the risk of bleeding may be increased while taken together with this medicine),
• fibrates (such as gemfibrozil, fenofibrate) or any other medicine used to lower cholesterol (such as ezetimibe).
• indigestion remedies (used to neutralise acid in your stomach).
• erythromycin (an antibiotic).
• fusidic acid (an antibiotic – please see below and section “Warnings and precautions”).
• an oral contraceptive (the pill).
• hormone replacement therapy.
• capmatinib (used to treat cancer),
• fostamatinib (used to treat low platelet counts).
• febuxostat (used to treat and prevent high blood levels of uric acid).
• teriflunomide (used to treat multiple sclerosis).
• any of the following drugs used to treat viral infections, including HIV or hepatitis C infection, alone or in combination (see section “Warnings and precautions”): ritonavir, lopinavir, atazanavir, sofosbuvir, voxilaprevir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir, dasabuvir, velpatasvir, grazoprevir, elbasvir, glecaprevir, pibrentasvir.
  The effects of these medicines could be changed by rosuvastatin or they could change the effects of rosuvastatin

If you need to take oral fusidic acid to treat a bacterial infection you will need to temporarily stop using this medicine. Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to restart rosuvastatin. Taking rosuvastatin with fusidic acid may rarely lead to muscle weakness, tenderness or pain (rhabdomyolysis). See more information regarding rhabdomyolysis in section 4.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Do not take rosuvastatin if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking rosuvastatin stop taking it immediately and tell your doctor. Women should avoid becoming pregnant while taking rosuvastatin by using suitable contraception.

Most people can drive a car and operate machinery while using rosuvastatin – it will not affect their ability. However, some people feel dizzy during treatment with rosuvastatin If you feel dizzy, consult your doctor before attempting to drive or use machines.

If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.

This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.

If you are taking rosuvastatin for high cholesterol

Starting dose:

Your treatment with rosuvastatin must start with the 5 mg or the 10 mg dose, even if you have taken a higher dose of a different statin before.

Administration of a 5 mg dose can be achieved by halving a 10 mg tablet with the breakline.

The choice of your starting dose will depend upon:

• Your cholesterol level.
• The level of risk you have of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
• Whether you have a factor that may make you more sensitive to possible side effects.

Please check with your doctor or pharmacist which start dose of rosuvastatin will best suit you.

Your doctor may decide to give you the lowest dose (5 mg) if:

• You are of Asian origin (Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Indian).
• You are over 70 years of age.
• You have moderate kidney problems.
• You are at risk of muscle aches and pains (myopathy).

Increasing the dose and maximum daily dose

Your doctor may decide to increase your dose. This is so that you are taking the amount of rosuvastatin that is right for you. If you started with a 5 mg dose, your doctor may decide to increase this to 10 mg, then 15 mg, then 20 mg, then 30 mg and then 40 mg if necessary. If you started on 10 mg, your doctor may decide to double this to 20 mg, then increase it to 30 mg and then 40 mg if necessary. There will be a gap of four weeks between every dose adjustment.

The maximum daily dose of rosuvastatin is 40 mg. It is only for patients with high cholesterol levels and a high risk of heart attacks or stroke whose cholesterol levels are not lowered enough with 20mg.

If you are taking rosuvastatin to reduce your risk of having a heart attack, stroke or related health problems: The recommended dose is 20 mg daily. However, your doctor may decide to use a lower dose if you have any of the factors mentioned above.

The dose range in children and adolescents is 5 – 20 mg. Your doctor may increase your dose to find the right amount of rosuvastatin for you.

The maximum daily dose of rosuvastatin is 10 mg or 20 mg for children aged 6 – 17 years depending on your underlying condition being treated. Take your dose once a day. Rosuvastatin 30 mg and 40 mg tablets should not be used by children.

Swallow each tablet whole with a drink of water.

Take rosuvastatin once daily. You can take it at any time of the day with or without food.

Try to take your tablet at the same time every day to help you to remember it.

It is important to go back to your doctor for regular cholesterol checks, to make sure your cholesterol has reached and is staying at the correct level.

Your doctor may decide to increase your dose so that you are taking the amount of rosuvastatin that is right for you.

Contact your doctor or nearest hospital for advice.

If you go into hospital or receive treatment for another condition, tell the medical staff that you’re taking rosuvastatin.

Don’t worry, just take your next scheduled dose at the correct time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

Talk to your doctor if you want to stop taking rosuvastatin. Your cholesterol levels might increase again if you stop taking rosuvastatin.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

The active substance is rosuvastatin.

Each film-coated tablet contains 15 mg or 30 mg rosuvastatin, as rosuvastatin calcium.

The other ingredients are:

Core: Lactose monohydrate, Cellulose, microcrystalline, Croscarmellose sodium, Silica colloidal anhydrous, Magnesium stearate. Coating layer: Hypromellose 2910/5, Macrogol 6000, Titanium dioxide (E171), Talc and Iron oxide yellow (E172). Rosuvastatin 15mg also contains Iron oxide red (E172).

Rosuvastatin 15 mg film-coated tablets: Orange to ochre, film-coated, round tablets with diameter approx. 7.1 mm.

Rosuvastatin 30 mg film-coated tablets: Yellow to dark yellow, film-coated, round tablets with diameter approx. 9.7 mm.

Pack sizes

Rosuvastatin is available in Alu/Alu blisters in pack sizes of 14, 28, 56, 84, 98 film-coated tablets.

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

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