Drug interactions
Niacin + Rosuvastatin
Severity: Moderate
Niacin and Rosuvastatin: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Lipid-lowering doses of niacin may add to the myopathy risk of rosuvastatin. The risk is generally low but present.
What this interaction means in plain words
Niacin and Rosuvastatin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Niacin belongs to Cardiovascular; Rosuvastatin belongs to Cardiovascular.
Why it happens
Additive myotoxicity.
What to do
Use the lowest effective doses and advise patients to report muscle pain or weakness. Check CK if symptomatic.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Rosuvastatin
Other interactions of Niacin
- Alogliptin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
- Atorvastatin + Niacin Moderate
- Canagliflozin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
- Cholestyramine + Niacin Moderate
- Colestipol + Niacin Moderate
- Dapagliflozin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Niacin with Rosuvastatin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Niacin and Rosuvastatin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Lipid-lowering doses of niacin may add to the myopathy risk of rosuvastatin. The risk is generally low but present.
How serious is the interaction between Niacin and Rosuvastatin?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Use the lowest effective doses and advise patients to report muscle pain or weakness. Check CK if symptomatic.
What other medicines interact with Rosuvastatin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Rosuvastatin with, for example, Atazanavir, Cyclosporine, Cyclosporin. The full list is on the Rosuvastatin page.
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