Crestor interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Crestor due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. Crestor’s contraindications include:

Having certain liver problems

If you have certain liver problems, your doctor will likely not prescribe Crestor. These problems include acute (sudden) liver failure and decompensated cirrhosis. Taking Crestor may cause liver damage, which can worsen your liver problem.

If you have acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis, your doctor will likely prescribe a drug other than Crestor for you.

Having had an allergic reaction to Crestor or any of its ingredients

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Crestor or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Crestor. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better for you.

Note: Before you start treatment with Crestor, it’s important to tell your doctor if these contraindications apply to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Crestor.

There are no known interactions between Crestor and alcohol.

However, consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause liver damage. Crestor may also cause liver damage as a side effect. So drinking alcohol while taking Crestor may increase the risk of this side effect.

If you drink alcohol and have questions about drinking it while taking Crestor, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Before you start treatment with Crestor, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Crestor interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Crestor and other interactions” section below.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Crestor. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Crestor. Some of these interactions are described in detail just below in “Drug interactions in depth.”

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Crestor.

Certain antacids

Antacids can help ease symptoms of conditions such as indigestion and heartburn.

Interaction result. Taking Crestor with certain antacids can make Crestor less effective. This includes antacids that contain a combination of aluminum and magnesium hydroxide (Gaviscon Extra Strength, Maalox, others).

Interaction explained. When taken with Crestor, the aluminum and magnesium hydroxide in the antacid may attach to Crestor. This can prevent your body from absorbing Crestor as well as it should. As a result, the level of Crestor in your system may be too low for the drug to be effective.

Steps you or your doctor may take. Due to this risk, be sure to take Crestor at least 2 hours after taking an antacid that contains aluminum and magnesium hydroxide. Doing so may help prevent these ingredients from affecting the level of Crestor in your body.

Before taking any antacids with Crestor, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can tell you which antacids contain aluminum and magnesium hydroxide. They can also recommend other antacids less likely to interact with Crestor.

Fibrates

Fibrates are a group of drugs prescribed to help lower cholesterol.

Interaction result. Taking Crestor with fibrates can increase the risk of severe muscle problems as a side effect of Crestor and fibrates. These can include muscle weakness and rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown).

Interaction explained. Both Crestor and fibrates can cause severe muscle problems when taken individually. Taking these medications together can further increase this risk.

Examples of fibrate drugs. Here are some fibrates that may interact with Crestor:

• fenofibric acid (Trilipix)
• fenofibrate (Antara, Tricor, Triglide)
• gemfibrozil (Lopid)

Steps you or your doctor may take. Your doctor can recommend whether it’s safe to take Crestor with a fibrate drug. If they tell you it’s safe, your doctor may give you a lower dosage of Crestor. Doing so can help reduce the risk of severe muscle problems when taking Crestor with a fibrate.

Niacin

Niacin (Niacor) is prescribed to help lower cholesterol.

Interaction result. When taken with Crestor, high doses of niacin can increase the risk of severe muscle problems as a side effect of Crestor. These can include muscle weakness and rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown).

Interaction explained. Crestor can cause severe muscle problems when taken individually. Taking niacin doses of at least 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day with Crestor can further increase this risk.

Steps you or your doctor may take. Your doctor can tell you whether it’s safe to take Crestor with niacin. If they tell you it’s safe to take Crestor with this drug, your doctor will likely prescribe a niacin dosage of less than 1,000 mg per day. Doing so can help lower your risk of severe muscle problems from Crestor.

Crestor may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information doesn’t include all other possible interactions with Crestor.

Crestor interactions with supplements

Red yeast rice supplements, which can help lower cholesterol, may interact with Crestor. These supplements work in a similar way to Crestor. Taking them with Crestor can increase your risk of severe muscle problems as a side effect. These can include muscle weakness and rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown).

Before you start treatment with Crestor, tell your doctor and pharmacist which supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Crestor and herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Crestor. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Crestor treatment.

Crestor interactions with vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Crestor. However, that doesn’t mean vitamin interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Crestor.

Crestor and food

There are no specific reports of food interactions with Crestor. If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Crestor, talk with your doctor.

Crestor and vaccines

There are no specific reports of vaccine interactions with Crestor. If you’d like to learn more about getting certain vaccines during treatment with Crestor, talk with your doctor.

Crestor interactions with lab tests

There are no specific reports of lab tests interacting with Crestor. If you’d like to learn more about getting specific lab tests while taking Crestor, talk with your doctor.

CRESTOR AND CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Crestor. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before taking cannabis in combination with Crestor. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Crestor treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Crestor. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Crestor may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Crestor include:

• Liver problems. If you have acute (sudden) liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis, your doctor will likely not prescribe Crestor. For more information, see the “When to avoid Crestor” section above. If you have other liver problems, such as alcohol-related liver disease, talk with your doctor. They can tell you whether Crestor is a safe treatment option.
• Underactive thyroid. Before taking Crestor, tell your doctor if you have an underactive thyroid. If this condition isn’t well-managed, you may have an increased risk of severe muscle problems with Crestor. Due to this risk, your doctor may give you treatments for underactive thyroid before they prescribe Crestor.
• Age 65 years or older. If you’re age 65 years or older, talk with your doctor before starting Crestor treatment. You may have an increased risk of severe muscle problems as a side effect of Crestor. Your doctor can recommend whether Crestor is a safe treatment option for you.
• Kidney problems. Before taking Crestor, be sure to tell your doctor if you have a kidney problem such as kidney failure. Having a kidney problem may increase your risk of side effects from Crestor. To help reduce this risk, your doctor may give you a lower dosage of Crestor.
• Asian ancestry. If you’re of Asian ancestry, talk with your doctor before starting treatment with Crestor. People of this ancestry may have a higher risk of side effects from Crestor. To reduce this risk, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Crestor.
• Pregnancy. It may not be safe to take Crestor during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before starting Crestor treatment.
• Breastfeeding. It’s recommended that you avoid breastfeeding while taking Crestor. The drug can pass into breast milk, which may lead to side effects in a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking Crestor.
• Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Crestor or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Crestor. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Here’s a frequently asked question about Crestor and possible interactions.

Can I take ibuprofen with rosuvastatin (Crestor)?

Yes, you can take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) with Crestor. These medications aren’t known to interact with each other.

Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. It’s used to ease pain, swelling, and fever.

If you have other questions about taking Crestor with ibuprofen, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Crestor. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so contact them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Crestor label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Crestor doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Crestor by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Besides learning about interactions, you may want to find out more about Crestor. These resources might help:

• Overview of Crestor. For a general overview of Crestor, you can see this article.
• Drug comparison. For information about how Crestor compares with Lipitor, read this article.
• Cost. If you’d like to learn about Crestor and cost, see this article.
• Facts about your condition. To learn more about cholesterol, see our cholesterol hub.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.