A few friends asked Hua Zi, when taking rosuvastatin, they couldn’t buy the dose that suits them, could they break the large dose of the tablet and take half a tablet, would it affect the medicine? effect?
Huazi said that the ordinary tablets of rosuvastatin can be broken and taken without affecting the efficacy. It’s just that after the tablet is broken, there may be sharp edges and corners, which are easy to scratch the throat when swallowing. Another thing is to pay attention to break it evenly as much as possible, so that the difference between the doses of the two half-tablets should not be too much.
1. The “lowering” in statins The strongest fat”
Different statins have different reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). In the clinical trials of statins, Rosuvastatin has the strongest reduction in LDL-C, and the reduction can reach 63% at the maximum dose. Followed by atorvastatin, the reduction in LDL-C can reach 55%.
However, Chinese people have poor tolerance to rosuvastatin. When taking the same dose, the blood concentration of Chinese people is higher than that of European and American 2 times. Therefore, The maximum dose of rosuvastatin in China can only be used at 20mg per day, while in Europe and America the maximum dose can be used at 40mg per day.
The minimum therapeutic dose of rosuvastatin is 5mg per day. If you are overly sensitive to the drug or intolerable, you can take 2.5mg separately.
2. Hydrophilic Rosuvastatin
In the human body, drugs with high fat solubility diffuse faster. Hepatocytes are the main site of cholesterol synthesis in the human body, and highly fat-soluble statins rely on passive diffusion into liver cells to exert their effects. However, statins with high fat solubility can easily pass through the blood-brain barrier, causing adverse reactions such as headache and dizziness.
Rosuvastatin is a hydrophilic statin, which relies on active uptake by liver cells to enter liver cells. It has higher selectivity to the liver and is not easy to penetrate Blood-brain barrier. If dizziness, headache and other central adverse reactions occur when using other statins, you can try to switch to rosuvastatin.
3. Less interaction with other drugs
< p data-track="11">Most of the rosuvastatin that enters the human body is excreted through feces, only a small amount is metabolized by liver CYP2C9 enzymes, and a small amount is excreted through the kidneys. Therefore, Rosuvastatin has few interactions with other drugs. If there are comorbid diseases, complicated medication regimens, and strong control of LDL-C, rosuvastatin can be considered.
Rosuvastatin only a small part (not more than 10%) is excreted through the kidneys, but it has no effect on renal function. Long-term use can reverse the atherosclerosis of the renal arteries. It also has a certain effect on protecting the kidneys. However, people with severe renal insufficiency (CKD stage 4) will cause accumulation of rosustatin and should not use it.
4. What to pay attention to when using rosuvastatin
< p data-track="14">1. Medication time: Rosuvastatin has a long half-life, which can reach 20 hours, and its efficacy is not affected by time and diet, so Take it every dayJust take it at a fixed time.
2. Drug adjustment time: recheck blood lipids after 1 month after taking the drug, according to LDL-C level Medication adjustments.
3. Effect on liver function: During the course of taking, it is recommended to recheck liver function at intervals of 3-6 months. If transaminase ( AST, ALT) did not rise more than 3 times the upper limit of normal, and the drug can be taken normally.
4. Muscle damage: During taking, if If symptoms of muscle pain and fatigue occur, Recheck the creatine kinase (CK) level. If it does not exceed 5 times the normal upper limit, you can take the medicine normally.
5. Effect on blood sugar: Rosuvastatins will increase the risk of new-onset diabetes, but it is not an indication for drug withdrawal. If abnormal blood sugar is found during the process, it is recommended to add hypoglycemic drugs under the guidance of a doctor and continue to take them.
6. Combination with other lipid-lowering drugs: Doubling the dose of rosuvastatin can only increase the reduction of LDL-C by 6% , but the incidence of adverse reactions will increase significantly. Middle and low doses can be used in combination with cholesterol absorption inhibitors and PCSK9 inhibitors.
To sum up, rosuvastatin can be taken separately without affecting the efficacy of the drug. During the course of taking, remember to regularly review blood lipids, liver function, and creatine kinase. If there is any abnormality, you need to seek medical treatment in time. Rosuvastatin is a prescription drug and needs to be used under the guidance of a doctor. If you have doubts about medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist. I am Hanako Pharmacist, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.