{"id":632844,"date":"2025-07-11T17:22:31","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T21:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=632844"},"modified":"2025-07-11T17:22:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T21:22:31","slug":"rosuvastatin-vs-atorvastatin-side-effects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/rosuvastatin-vs-atorvastatin-side-effects\/","title":{"rendered":"Rosuvastatin vs. atorvastatin side effects"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rosuvastatin<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>atorvastatin<\/span><\/a> are generic versions of a cholesterol-lowering prescription drug. The brand-name versions of these drugs are Crestor and Lipitor. Both of these medications are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, also known as <\/span>statins<\/span><\/a>. Healthcare professionals may also prescribe a different statin, such as pravastatin, simvastatin, pitavastatin, or lovastatin, to treat similar conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Statins <\/span>lower high cholesterol<\/span><\/a> (hypercholesterolemia) by specifically lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, known as \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol. They also increase \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol, which is high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, in the blood. Additionally, statins can reduce blood pressure, as suggested in research published in <\/span>Hypertension<\/span><\/i>. This can reduce an adult\u2019s risk of a heart attack or heart disease and general cardiovascular risk. Statins can treat coronary artery disease (CAD) and atherosclerosis, too. The main difference between the two medications is that rosuvastatin is less likely to cause side effects.
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\n\t\t\t\t\tRosuvastatin 10 mg (30 Tablets)\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t23666 - Hampton, VA\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\"Kroger\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t$7.71\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\ti<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPrice with signup<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tGet free coupon<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t$7.71\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\ti<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPrice with signup<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tGet free coupon<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\tSee Rosuvastatin prices at all pharmacies<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n

Comparing side effects: Rosuvastatin vs. atorvastatin<\/span><\/h2>\n

Generally speaking, the side effects of statin therapy, according to the Mayo Clinic, include muscle aches, muscle damage, liver damage, increased blood sugar or Type 2 diabetes, and neurological side effects. However, <\/span>rosuvastatin typically causes fewer problems than atorvastatin<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn my experience, rosuvastatin has less muscle side effects than atorvastatin,\u201d says Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, MD, a board-certified cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute in Fountain Valley, California. He explains that this is because rosuvastatin is water-soluble, so it\u2019s less likely to get into muscle cells and cause issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The potency and <\/span>dosage<\/span><\/a> of each medication also make a difference when it comes to side effects. \u201cOne of the first things I do is explain the difference between rosuvastatin and atorvastatin,\u201d says Dr. Erika Gray, Pharm.D., founder and chief medical officer at ToolBox Genomics. \u201cRosuvastatin is considered about two times more potent than atorvastatin, which means patients are often prescribed a lower dose of rosuvastatin, and they tend to experience less side effects. Statin side effects are very much dose-dependent, meaning the higher the dose, the higher the risk of side effects.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She adds that the dose also depends on why the person is taking it. For example, someone who has acute coronary syndrome will likely take the maximum dose, meaning they’re more likely to struggle with the muscle pain side effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosuvastatin is also more effective\u2014at least in reducing the risk of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke\u2014according to a 2025 study in the <\/span>Journal of the American Heart Association<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosuvastatin side effects<\/span><\/h3>\n

Below, see the more common (and sometimes serious) adverse effects of <\/span>rosuvastatin<\/span><\/a> and how many participants reported them in one or more clinical trials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n