In the US there are about 38% of adults suffer from high cholesterol. In this case, the doctor generally counsels on the importance of exercise, diet, and mention a Statin medication. These medications are also called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.
Among the popular brand name statins, Lipitor and Crestor are two of them. They both are used along with low saturated fat and cholesterol diet. Although they both are statins but are not the same. This article highlights the differences between Lipitor and Crestor.
Lipitor vs Crestor
The main difference between Lipitor and Crestor is that atorvastatin is the generic name of Lipitor. On the other hand, rosuvastatin is the generic name of Crestor. When it comes to standard dosage, 20mg daily is the standard dosage of Lipitor, while the standard dosage of Crestor is 10mg daily.
Lipitor is one of the prescription medicines which belongs to a class of drugs, namely lipid-lowering agents. It helps to lower bad cholesterol in blood levels such as LDL or low-density lipoprotein. It might be used with other medications or alone.
Crestor is a statin medication that prevents cardiovascular disease who are at higher risk, and abnormal lipids are treated. It is preferred to be used with exercise, weight loss, and dietary changes. Rosuvastatin is sold under the collective mark of Crestor.
Comparison Table Between Lipitor and Crestor
| Parameters of Comparison | Lipitor | Crestor |
|---|---|---|
| Generic name | Atorvastatin | Rosuvastatin |
| Standard dosage | 20mg daily | 10mg daily |
| Side effects | Constipation, nausea, headache, and gas. | Diarrhea, joint pain, depression, and indigestion. |
| Interaction | With birth control pills, antibiotics, and HIV/AIDS medicines. | With blood thinners, cimetidine, and niacin. |
| Avoid | Eating high cholesterol food and grapefruit. | Driking alcohol and using antacids. |
What is Lipitor?
Lipitor is a drug used with a healthy lifestyle to lower triglyceride levels and low-density lipoprotein (the bad cholesterol) in the blood and also raises high-density lipoprotein levels (the good cholesterol). It also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack. It might help a person developing heart disease risk or suffering from heart disease.
In 1996, this medicine was approved by the United States FDA or Food and Drug Administration. It works in the body by slowing cholesterol production. It should not be used if someone is suffering from liver disease and allergic to this medicine.
A pregnant lady should not consume Lipitor because it can harm an unborn baby. To prevent pregnancy, one must use effective birth control. If you become pregnant, then stop taking this medicine or simply tell your doctor at once. While taking Lipitor, you should not breastfeed. The risk of rhabdomyolysis and myopathy can increase with excessive intake of a grapefruit
Lipitor can cause the muscle tissue to break down, which can lead to the failure of the kidney. This happens more often in older adults, women, or people with poor control hypothyroidism or kidney disease. When it comes to younger than 10 years old, it is not approved for them.
What is Crestor?
Crestor belongs to a class of drugs, namely statins. In the arteries, if there is too much cholesterol then it can increase the risk of heart disease or stroke. Crestor is helpful to control levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood. It might slow down the atherosclerosis progression when taken along with a special exercise and diet.
According to a 2009 study, it was founded Crestor reduces 20 percent the risk of vascular events. In August 2003, Crestor was first approved by the United States. In 2004, it was marketed in 56 countries and approved in 154 countries.
The primary medical use of Crestor is used to treat dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemia is a disease of lipoprotein metabolism that results in LDL concentrations in high triglycerides and low HDL levels in the blood. Apart from the treatment of dyslipidemia, it is more also approved for high total cholesterol and triglyceride treatment.
For children is 8 to 17 years suffering inherited conditions leads to high LDL can consume it. It can be consumed by adults for controlling cholesterol levels. It can be taken without or with food once a day.
Main Differences Between Lipitor and Crestor
- It is necessary to tell the doctor about liver problems, diabetes, and muscle pain before the intake of Lipitor, whereas before taking Crestor it is important to tell the doctor about kidney disease, thyroid disorder, and age more than 65.
- When it comes to grapefruit juice, Lipitor directly interacts with grapefruit juice in a large amount. On the other hand, Crestor is secure to take with grapefruit juice.
- It’s time to consult a doctor if there are serious side effects such as fever, dark urine, and loss of appetite while taking Lipitor. On the flip side, rhabdomyolysis is one of the serious side effects of Crestor.
- If a patient is suffering from low blood pressure, uncontrolled illness, and severe infection, then the patient might need to stop consuming the Lipitor. When it comes to Crestor, the signs are dehydration, medical emergency, and electrolyte imbalance.
- Additional warnings included in Lipitor is that the risk of rhabdomyolysis and myopathy can increase with excessive intake of a grapefruit, while anticoagulant taking patients should be monitored before Crestor intake.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that both Lipitor and Crestor are drugs used to treat cholesterol levels. They both come under the popular brand name statins. The statin medication is mentioned by doing if exercise and diet fail to combat high cholesterol levels. The generic name of Lipitor is atorvastatin, whereas rosuvastatin is the generic name of Crestor.
When it comes to interaction, Lipitor can interact with birth control pills, antibiotics, and HIV/AIDS medicines. On the other hand, Crestor can interact with blood thinners, cimetidine, and niacin. The standard dosage of Lipitor is 20mg daily. But the standard dosage of Crestor is 10mg daily.
References
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/191689
- https://www.cmaj.ca/content/171/2/129.short