We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission or other tangible benefit. Optum Store, Optum Perks, and Healthline Media are owned by RVO Health. Here’s our process.
Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.
Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:- Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
- Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
- Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Crestor (rosuvastatin) are prescription drugs used to treat high cholesterol and lower the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems. Both drugs come as tablets that you swallow.
You may experience mild or serious side effects from either Lipitor or Crestor. These drugs can cause many similar side effects but also a few different ones.
For more information about possible side effects, see the side effect articles on Lipitor and Crestor.
Mild side effects
Lipitor and Crestor may cause mild side effects in some people. The chart below lists examples of mild side effects that have been reported in separate studies of these drugs.
| Lipitor | Crestor | |
| Muscle or joint pain | ✓ | ✓ |
| Headache | ✓ | |
| Nausea | ✓ | ✓ |
| Feeling weak or unwell | ✓ | ✓ |
| Urinary tract infection (UTI) | ✓ | |
| Constipation | ✓ | |
| Stuffy or runny nose, or sore throat | ✓ | |
| Abdominal pain or discomfort | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diarrhea | ✓ | |
| Pain in your arms, hands, feet, or legs | ✓ |
This chart may not include all mild side effects of these drugs. For more information on mild side effects of the two drugs, see the prescribing information for Lipitor and Crestor.
Serious side effects
In addition to the mild side effects described above, serious side effects may occur in people using Lipitor or Crestor. See the chart below for a list of side effects that have been reported with these drugs.
| Lipitor | Crestor | |
| Pancreatitis | ✓ | |
| Myopathy, including immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (an autoimmune condition that leads to muscle weakness) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rhabdomyolysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| high level of liver enzymes, which may be a sign of liver problems, such as liver damage | ✓ | ✓ |
| increased blood sugar which may result in new or worsened diabetes | ✓ | ✓ |
To learn more about serious side effects these drugs may cause and your specific risk for them, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Allergic reaction
For some people, Lipitor or Crestor can cause an allergic reaction. In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious.
What might help
If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep taking Lipitor or Crestor.
If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.
If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Lipitor or Crestor, they may have you switch to a different treatment.
Get answers to some frequently asked questions about Lipitor and Crestor.
How will my doctor determine whether Lipitor or Crestor is better for me?
Whether Crestor or Lipitor is better for you depends on several factors that your doctor will consider. These factors include:
- the condition that Lipitor or Crestor is used to treat
- your age
- your cholesterol levels or risk of cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) problems before beginning treatment
- side effects you may experience from either medication
Studies have found both Crestor and Lipitor to be effective for treating certain types of high cholesterol or reducing certain cardiovascular risks. To learn more, see the “How effective are Lipitor and Crestor?” section below.
If you have other questions about whether Crestor or Lipitor may be right for you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Do Lipitor and Crestor cause hair loss?
No, these drugs aren’t known to cause hair loss. This wasn’t a side effect reported in studies of either Crestor or Lipitor.
A few people have reported hair loss during Lipitor treatment. But it isn’t known for sure whether the drug was the cause.
If you experience hair loss that concerns you while taking either Lipitor or Crestor, talk with your doctor.
You may be wondering whether it’s possible to switch from Crestor or Lipitor if you’re prescribed either drug.
The short answer: Yes.
Details: Crestor and Lipitor are both statin drugs prescribed to treat high cholesterol and lower certain cardiovascular risks in adults and some children.
If you want to switch from one of these drugs to the other, your doctor or pharmacist can determine the dosage conversion.
But keep in mind that your body may respond differently to the new drug, even though the two drugs are very similar.
Reminder: You should not switch drugs or stop your current treatment unless your doctor recommends it. If you’re prescribed Crestor or Lipitor and are interested in switching to a different medication, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
A generic drug is an exact copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) To find out whether Lipitor or Crestor is available as a generic, see the list below.
- Lipitor:
- Available as a generic: yes
- Active ingredient: atorvastatin
- Crestor:
- Available as a generic: yes
- Active ingredient: rosuvastatin
If you’ve been prescribed Lipitor or Crestor and are interested in taking the generic version instead, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Both Lipitor and Crestor are prescribed to treat high cholesterol in certain adults. See the chart below for more details on the uses of each drug. (And to learn about the conditions these drugs treat in children, see “Lipitor and Crestor’s use in children” below.)
| Use | Lipitor | Crestor |
| Lowering cholesterol in adults and certain children with certain kinds of high cholesterol, including a genetic (inherited) condition called homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lowering triglycerides in adults with high triglyceride levels | ✓ | ✓ |
Cholesterol is a type of lipid (fat) that your body naturally produces. Your body needs cholesterol for many essential functions, including making certain hormones. Your body also creates lipoproteins, which carry cholesterol throughout your body.
Having high cholesterol rarely causes symptoms. But over time, high cholesterol can lead to health issues such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Crestor and Lipitor are both statin drugs, which are commonly prescribed to treat high cholesterol. Your doctor might prescribe a healthy diet along with Lipitor or Crestor treatment.
Other uses
In addition to the uses described above, Crestor and Lipitor are both prescribed to help prevent serious cardiovascular problems. Specifically, Crestor or Lipitor can be used to:
- lower the risk of certain cardiovascular (heart or blood vessel) problems, such as heart attack
- reduce the need for certain types of heart surgeries
Crestor is also approved to slow the progression of a condition called atherosclerosis. Lipitor isn’t approved for this use, but it may be prescribed off label for this purpose. Off-label drug use is when a drug that’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.
Lipitor and Crestor’s use in children
Both Lipitor and Crestor are approved for use in certain children. See the chart below for details.
| Use | Lipitor | Crestor |
| Lowering cholesterol in children with a genetic (inherited) condition called homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) | Used in children ages 10 years and older | Used in children ages 7 years and older |
| Lowering cholesterol in children with a genetic condition called heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) | Used in children ages 10 years and older | Used in children ages 8 years and older |
Here’s an overview of dosages and how you’ll take Lipitor and Crestor for the conditions they treat or prevent.
Dosage for lowering cholesterol and helping prevent serious cardiovascular problems
| Lipitor | Crestor | |
| Form | tablet that you swallow | tablet that you swallow |
| Strengths | • 10 milligrams (mg) • 20 mg • 40 mg • 80 mg | • 5 mg • 10 mg • 20 mg • 40 mg |
| Dose | 10 mg to 80 mg, depending on your treatment plan | 5 mg to 40 mg, depending on your treatment plan |
| How often to take | once per day | once per day |
Both Lipitor and Crestor are prescribed to treat high cholesterol in certain adults and children. They’re also used to lower the risk of certain heart and blood vessel problems, and to reduce the need for certain heart surgeries.
The chart below details these conditions, guidelines about treating them, and whether Lipitor, Crestor, or both are recommended.
In addition, both Crestor and Lipitor have been found effective in reducing the need for certain heart surgeries in certain adults.
It’s important to note that your results from Lipitor or Crestor may differ from those seen in studies. Talk with your doctor about whether one of these drugs is right for you. And if you’d like to read more about how each drug performed in studies, see the prescribing information for Lipitor and Crestor.
Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering these drugs. Visit Optum Perks* to get price estimates for Lipitor and Crestor when you use coupons from the site. It’s important to note that Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.
Keep in mind that what you’ll pay for either drug will depend on your treatment plan, health insurance, and the pharmacy you use.
Lipitor and Crestor are both brand-name drugs. These drugs also both have generic forms. You’ll usually pay more for brand-name drugs than for generics. If you’re interested in using the generic form of either drug, talk with your doctor.
For other resources that might help you save on the price of these drugs, see the cost articles for Lipitor and Crestor.
* Optum Perks is a sister site of Healthline.
Lipitor and Crestor may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. These are referred to as warnings. The two drugs share some of the same warnings, but they also have different ones. Some of these warnings are mentioned below.
Before using Lipitor or Crestor, talk with your doctor if any of the following conditions or health factors apply to you.
- Warnings for Lipitor:
- if you’ve recently had a stroke or ministroke
- Warnings for Crestor:
- if you are of Asian descent
- Warnings for both Lipitor and Crestor:
- if you’ve had an allergic reaction to either drug or any of its ingredients
- if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant
- if you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed
- if you have a liver problem, such as alcoholic liver disease
- if you have a kidney condition, such as chronic kidney disease
- if you regularly drink alcohol
- if you have a thyroid problem, such as underactive thyroid
- if you have diabetes
- if you have myasthenia gravis
To learn more about these drugs, see the in-depth articles on Lipitor and Crestor. You can also refer to these articles for details about Lipitor’s interactions and Crestor’s interactions.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.