CRESTOR (Page 2 of 9)

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

5.1 Skeletal Muscle Effects

Cases of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure secondary to myoglobinuria have been reported with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, including CRESTOR. These risks can occur at any dose level, but are increased at the highest dose (40 mg).

CRESTOR should be prescribed with caution in patients with predisposing factors for myopathy (e.g., age ≥ 65 years, inadequately treated hypothyroidism, renal impairment).

The risk of myopathy during treatment with CRESTOR may be increased with concurrent administration of some other lipid-lowering therapies (fibrates or niacin), gemfibrozil, cyclosporine, atazanavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, or simeprevir [see Dosage and Administration (2) and Drug Interactions (7)]. Cases of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, have been reported with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, including rosuvastatin, coadministered with colchicine, and caution should be exercised when prescribing CRESTOR with colchicine [see Drug Interactions (7.7) ].

CRESTOR therapy should be discontinued if markedly elevated creatine kinase levels occur or myopathy is diagnosed or suspected. CRESTOR therapy should also be temporarily withheld in any patient with an acute, serious condition suggestive of myopathy or predisposing to the development of renal failure secondary to rhabdomyolysis (e.g., sepsis, hypotension, dehydration, major surgery, trauma, severe metabolic, endocrine, and electrolyte disorders, or uncontrolled seizures).

There have been rare reports of immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), an autoimmune myopathy, associated with statin use. IMNM is characterized by: proximal muscle weakness and elevated serum creatine kinase, which persist despite discontinuation of statin treatment; muscle biopsy showing necrotizing myopathy without significant inflammation; improvement with immunosuppressive agents.

All patients should be advised to promptly report to their physician unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, particularly if accompanied by malaise or fever or if muscle signs and symptoms persist after discontinuing CRESTOR.

5.2 Liver Enzyme Abnormalities

It is recommended that liver enzyme tests be performed before the initiation of CRESTOR, and if signs or symptoms of liver injury occur.

Increases in serum transaminases [AST (SGOT) or ALT (SGPT)] have been reported with HMG‑CoA reductase inhibitors, including CRESTOR. In most cases, the elevations were transient and resolved or improved on continued therapy or after a brief interruption in therapy. There were two cases of jaundice, for which a relationship to CRESTOR therapy could not be determined, which resolved after discontinuation of therapy. There were no cases of liver failure or irreversible liver disease in these trials.

In a pooled analysis of placebo-controlled trials, increases in serum transaminases to >3 times the upper limit of normal occurred in 1.1% of patients taking CRESTOR versus 0.5% of patients treated with placebo.

There have been rare postmarketing reports of fatal and non-fatal hepatic failure in patients taking statins, including rosuvastatin. If serious liver injury with clinical symptoms and/or hyperbilirubinemia or jaundice occurs during treatment with CRESTOR, promptly interrupt therapy. If an alternate etiology is not found, do not restart CRESTOR.

CRESTOR should be used with caution in patients who consume substantial quantities of alcohol and/or have a history of chronic liver disease [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Active liver disease, which may include unexplained persistent transaminase elevations, is a contraindication to the use of CRESTOR [see Contraindications (4) ].

5.3 Concomitant Coumarin Anticoagulants

Caution should be exercised when anticoagulants are given in conjunction with CRESTOR because of its potentiation of the effect of coumarin-type anticoagulants in prolonging the prothrombin time/INR. In patients taking coumarin anticoagulants and CRESTOR concomitantly, INR should be determined before starting CRESTOR and frequently enough during early therapy to ensure that no significant alteration of INR occurs [see Drug Interactions (7.4) ].

5.4 Proteinuria and Hematuria

In the CRESTOR clinical trial program, dipstick-positive proteinuria and microscopic hematuria were observed among CRESTOR treated patients. These findings were more frequent in patients taking CRESTOR 40 mg, when compared to lower doses of CRESTOR or comparator HMG‑CoA reductase inhibitors, though it was generally transient and was not associated with worsening renal function. Although the clinical significance of this finding is unknown, a dose reduction should be considered for patients on CRESTOR therapy with unexplained persistent proteinuria and/or hematuria during routine urinalysis testing.

5.5 Endocrine Effects

Increases in HbA1c and fasting serum glucose levels have been reported with HMG‑CoA reductase inhibitors, including CRESTOR. Based on clinical trial data with CRESTOR, in some instances these increases may exceed the threshold for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ].

Although clinical studies have shown that CRESTOR alone does not reduce basal plasma cortisol concentration or impair adrenal reserve, caution should be exercised if CRESTOR is administered concomitantly with drugs that may decrease the levels or activity of endogenous steroid hormones such as ketoconazole, spironolactone, and cimetidine.

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS

The following serious adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the label:

Rhabdomyolysis with myoglobinuria and acute renal failure and myopathy (including myositis) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]
Liver enzyme abnormalities [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ]

6.1 Clinical Studies Experience

Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.

In the CRESTOR controlled clinical trials database (placebo or active-controlled) of 5394 patients with a mean treatment duration of 15 weeks, 1.4% of patients discontinued due to adverse reactions. The most common adverse reactions that led to treatment discontinuation were:

myalgia
abdominal pain
nausea

The most commonly reported adverse reactions (incidence ≥2%) in the CRESTOR controlled clinical trial database of 5394 patients were:

headache
myalgia
abdominal pain
asthenia
nausea

Adverse reactions reported in ≥2% of patients in placebo-controlled clinical studies and at a rate greater than placebo are shown in Table 1. These studies had a treatment duration of up to 12 weeks.

Table 1. Adverse Reactions * Reported in ≥2% of Patients Treated with CRESTOR and > Placebo in Placebo-Controlled Trials (% of Patients)
*
Adverse reactions by COSTART preferred term.

Adverse Reactions

CRESTOR

5 mg

N=291

CRESTOR

10 mg

N=283

CRESTOR

20 mg

N=64

CRESTOR

40 mg

N=106

Total CRESTOR

5 mg40 mg

N=744

Placebo

N=382

Headache

5.5

4.9

3.1

8.5

5.5

5.0

Nausea

3.8

3.5

6.3

0

3.4

3.1

Myalgia

3.1

2.1

6.3

1.9

2.8

1.3

Asthenia

2.4

3.2

4.7

0.9

2.7

2.6

Constipation

2.1

2.1

4.7

2.8

2.4

2.4

Other adverse reactions reported in clinical studies were abdominal pain, dizziness, hypersensitivity (including rash, pruritus, urticaria, and angioedema) and pancreatitis. The following laboratory abnormalities have also been reported: dipstick-positive proteinuria and microscopic hematuria [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ]; elevated creatine phosphokinase, transaminases, glucose, glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin; and thyroid function abnormalities.

In the METEOR study, involving 981 participants treated with rosuvastatin 40 mg (n=700) or placebo (n=281) with a mean treatment duration of 1.7 years, 5.6% of subjects treated with CRESTOR versus 2.8% of placebo-treated subjects discontinued due to adverse reactions. The most common adverse reactions that led to treatment discontinuation were: myalgia, hepatic enzyme increased, headache, and nausea [see Clinical Studies (14.8)].

Adverse reactions reported in ≥ 2% of patients and at a rate greater than placebo are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Adverse Reactions * Reported in ≥2% of Patients Treated with CRESTOR and > Placebo in the METEOR Trial (% of Patients)
Adverse Reactions CRESTOR 40 mg N=700 Placebo N=281
*
Adverse reactions by MedDRA preferred term.
Frequency recorded as abnormal laboratory value.

Myalgia

12.7

12.1

Arthralgia

10.1

7.1

Headache

6.4

5.3

Dizziness

4.0

2.8

Increased CPK

2.6

0.7

Abdominal pain

2.4

1.8

ALT >3x ULN

2.2

0.7

In the JUPITER study, 17,802 participants were treated with rosuvastatin 20 mg (n=8901) or placebo (n=8901) for a mean duration of 2 years. A higher percentage of rosuvastatin-treated patients versus placebo-treated patients, 6.6% and 6.2%, respectively, discontinued study medication due to an adverse event, irrespective of treatment causality. Myalgia was the most common adverse reaction that led to treatment discontinuation.

In JUPITER, there was a significantly higher frequency of diabetes mellitus reported in patients taking rosuvastatin (2.8%) versus patients taking placebo (2.3%). Mean HbA1c was significantly increased by 0.1% in rosuvastatin-treated patients compared to placebo-treated patients. The number of patients with a HbA1c > 6.5% at the end of the trial was significantly higher in rosuvastatin-treated versus placebo-treated patients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) and Clinical Studies (14.9)].

Adverse reactions reported in ≥ 2% of patients and at a rate greater than placebo are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Adverse Reactions * Reported in ≥ 2% of Patients Treated with CRESTOR and > Placebo in the JUPITER Trial (% of Patients)
*
Treatment-emergent adverse reactions by MedDRA preferred term.

Adverse Reactions

CRESTOR 20 mg

N=8901

Placebo

N=8901

Myalgia

7.6

6.6

Arthralgia

3.8

3.2

Constipation

3.3

3.0

Diabetes mellitus

2.8

2.3

Nausea

2.4

2.3

Pediatric Patients with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia

In a 12-week controlled study in boys and postmenarcheal girls 10 to 17 years of age with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia with CRESTOR 5 to 20 mg daily [see Use in Specific Populations (8.4) and Clinical Studies (14.7)], elevations in serum creatine phosphokinase (CK) >10 x ULN were observed more frequently in rosuvastatin compared with placebo-treated children. Four of 130 (3%) children treated with rosuvastatin (2 treated with 10 mg and 2 treated with 20 mg) had increased CK >10 x ULN, compared to 0 of 46 children on placebo.

All MedLibrary.org resources are included in as near-original form as possible, meaning that the information from the original provider has been rendered here with only typographical or stylistic modifications and not with any substantive alterations of content, meaning or intent.

This site is provided for educational and informational purposes only, in accordance with our Terms of Use, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a medical doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner or other qualified health professional.

Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2024. All Rights Reserved.