Rosuvastatin: study card

Rosuvastatin — HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin). Study the mechanism, listed uses and warnings from the US label on one sourced card.

Generic name
Rosuvastatin
Class
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin)
Mechanism
Inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme converting HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a precursor of cholesterol.
Used for
As an adjunct to diet to lower LDL cholesterol in adults with primary hyperlipidemia and to slow atherosclerosis progression in adults; Reduction of major cardiovascular events in adults without established coronary disease who meet the label's age, hsCRP of at least 2 mg/L and additional-risk-factor criteria; Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia in adults and children aged 8 years and older, as an adjunct to diet; Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia in adults and children aged 7 years and older, with other LDL-lowering treatment or alone when unavailable
Common side effects
Headache; Nausea; Myalgia; Asthenia; Constipation
Warnings
Myopathy / rhabdomyolysis; Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy; Acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis
Interactions
Cyclosporine, gemfibrozil; Aluminum/magnesium hydroxide antacids; Warfarin

Brand questions use only name pairings verified against the linked product source. Unverified pairings are withheld from these questions; the other study content remains available.

Drug class families: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors

Read the source label ↗

Label date: 20260811 · For learning, not clinical decisions. US label and brand information; always consult the current source.

Source snapshot checked: 2026-10-21. The source document and selected fields were compared. The complete card has not had an independent clinical review.

Pronunciation

Rosuvastatin: roe-SOO-va-sta-tin

Shared name ending: -statin · Atorvastatin, Simvastatin, Pravastatin, Lovastatin

Pronunciation is shown for the US English generic name. A name ending is a memory cue, not a classification rule.

Other drugs in the same class

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors: Simvastatin, Pravastatin, Lovastatin, Atorvastatin

Body system

Cardiovascular · 47 Drug cards

Compare with related cards

Simvastatin

Same class family: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors

Mechanism: Prodrug hydrolyzed to simvastatin acid, which inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol synthesis.

On both cards: Common side effects — Headache; Nausea; Constipation · Warnings — Myopathy / rhabdomyolysis; Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy; Acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis

Only on the Simvastatin card: Used for — Reduction of coronary death, nonfatal MI, stroke or revascularization need in high-risk adults with the established vascular disease or diabetes described in the label; As an adjunct to diet to lower LDL cholesterol in adults with primary hyperlipidemia or in adults and children aged 10 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia; As an adjunct to other LDL-lowering treatment in adults with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia; As an adjunct to diet for hypertriglyceridemia in adults · Common side effects — Upper respiratory infection; Abdominal pain · Interactions — Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors; Cyclosporine, danazol, gemfibrozil; Coumarin anticoagulants

Atorvastatin

Same class family: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors

Mechanism: Selectively and competitively inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, a key enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. In animal models, increased hepatic LDL receptors also contribute to LDL uptake and breakdown.

On both cards: Warnings — Myopathy / rhabdomyolysis; Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy; Acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis

Only on the Atorvastatin card: Used for — As an adjunct to diet to lower LDL cholesterol in adults with primary hyperlipidemia or in adults and children aged 10 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia; Reduction of specified cardiovascular events in adults with established coronary heart disease or the multiple coronary risk factors described in the label; Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia in adults and children aged 10 years and older, with other LDL-lowering treatment or alone when that treatment is unavailable · Common side effects — Nasopharyngitis; Arthralgia; Diarrhea; Pain in extremity; Urinary tract infection · Interactions — Cyclosporine, gemfibrozil, grapefruit juice; Rifampin; Digoxin

Pravastatin

Same class family: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors

Mechanism: Reversibly inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme converting HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a cholesterol precursor.

On both cards: Common side effects — Headache · Warnings — Myopathy / rhabdomyolysis; Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy

Only on the Pravastatin card: Used for — Adjunct to diet for primary hyperlipidemia in adults, or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia in children aged 8 years and older; Reduction of myocardial infarction, revascularization and cardiovascular death in adults with elevated LDL-C without clinically evident coronary heart disease; Reduction of specified coronary/cerebrovascular events and slowing coronary atherosclerosis in adults with clinically evident coronary heart disease; Adjunct to diet for hypertriglyceridemia or primary dysbetalipoproteinemia in adults · Common side effects — Musculoskeletal pain; Nausea / vomiting; Upper respiratory infection; Diarrhea · Warnings — Hepatic dysfunction · Interactions — Gemfibrozil; Cyclosporine; Clarithromycin / erythromycin

An item counts as shared only when both cards use the same wording. If a card does not list an item, that is not a statement that the effect never occurs.