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rosuvastatin Side Effects

Also known as: Crestor

Analysis of 194,743 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

194,743

Death-Related

11,716

6.0% of reports

Hospitalizations

60,611

31.1% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

FATIGUE
11,700
NAUSEA
10,039
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
9,223
DYSPNOEA
9,208
DIARRHOEA
9,198
MYALGIA
8,784
OFF LABEL USE
8,520
PAIN
8,417
HEADACHE
7,796
DIZZINESS
7,718
ARTHRALGIA
7,255
ASTHENIA
7,203
PAIN IN EXTREMITY
6,768
MALAISE
6,483
FALL
6,006
VOMITING
5,828
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY
5,250
WEIGHT DECREASED
5,200
MUSCLE SPASMS
4,974
PRURITUS
4,848

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 95,342 (53%)
Male 85,358 (47%)
Unknown 754

Age Distribution

0-17 612 (0%)
18-44 5,735 (4%)
45-64 49,058 (37%)
65-74 42,871 (33%)
75+ 33,545 (25%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 11,716 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 4,212
PNEUMONIA 619
DYSPNOEA 592
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 583
RENAL FAILURE 518
CARDIAC ARREST 510
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 474
OFF LABEL USE 438
ASTHENIA 400
SEPSIS 388
NAUSEA 387
FATIGUE 386
DIARRHOEA 384
FALL 370
CARDIAC FAILURE 324
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE 323
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 316
HYPOTENSION 296
COMPLETED SUICIDE 273
PYREXIA 271

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 60,611 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
DYSPNOEA 4,090
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 3,518
FALL 3,443
NAUSEA 3,384
DIARRHOEA 3,216
FATIGUE 3,191
PNEUMONIA 3,131
ASTHENIA 3,079
OFF LABEL USE 2,692
VOMITING 2,653
PAIN 2,459
RHABDOMYOLYSIS 2,438
MALAISE 2,346
HYPOTENSION 2,282
DIZZINESS 2,273
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 2,248
PYREXIA 2,194
HEADACHE 2,032
CHEST PAIN 2,028
WEIGHT DECREASED 1,981

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About rosuvastatin Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 194,743 voluntary reports linked to rosuvastatin and its brand equivalents (Crestor), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 11,716 (6.0%) listed death as an outcome and 60,611 (31.1%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Product Used For Unknown Indication.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 53% were female and 47% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 49,058 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is fatigue with 11,700 submissions, followed by nausea and drug ineffective.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.