Rosuvastatin and Abiraterone: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Rosuvastatin
Abiraterone
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Increased rosuvastatin exposure and increased risk of myopathy
Interaction Deep Dive
Concomitant use of abiraterone, an OATP1B1 transport inhibitor1, with rosuvastatin, an OATP1B1 substrate 2 resulted in a 74-year-old man experiencing rhabdomyolysis leading to acute kidney injury. Consider avoiding concomitant use 3.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Inhibition of OATP1B1-mediated transport of rosuvastatin by abiraterone
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) A 74-year-old man on rosuvastatin 40 mg/day developed rhabdomyolysis leading to acute kidney injury 2 months following initiation of abiraterone acetate 1000 mg/day for castration-resistant prostate cancer with bone metastasis. His other medications included predniSONE, metoprolol, aspirin, and degarelix acetate, and he had a history of chronic renal disease. He presented with a 10-day duration of weakness, diffuse muscle pain, and loss of appetite. Laboratory examination revealed serum creatinine 9.12 mg/dL, urea 270 mg/dL, creatine kinase 5763 units/L, lactate dehydrogenase 411 international units/L, AST 193 international units/L, and ALT 46 international units/L. Rosuvastatin levels were not assessed. Rosuvastatin, predniSONE, and abiraterone were discontinued resulting in normalization of creatine kinase at day 10 and serum creatinine on day 12. One month after discharge, abiraterone and predniSONE were reinitiated without further sequelae. JJ stent dysfunction resulted in a new occurrence of acute kidney injury and abiraterone was permanently discontinued 3.
Common questions
Can I take Rosuvastatin and Abiraterone together?
Increased rosuvastatin exposure and increased risk of myopathy Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Rosuvastatin and Abiraterone interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "probable". Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Rosuvastatin or Abiraterone need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (3)
- Product Information: ZYTIGA(R) oral tablets, abiraterone acetate oral tablets. Janssen Biotech Inc (per FDA), Horsham, PA, 2020. DailyMed
- Product Information: EZALLOR SPRINKLE(TM) oral capsules, rosuvastatin oral capsules. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc (per FDA), Cranbury, NJ, 2020. DailyMed
- Ould-Nana I, Cillis M, Gizzi M, et al: Rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury induced by the association of rosuvastatin and abiraterone: a case report and review of the literature. J Oncol Pharm Pract 2021; 27(1):216-219. PubMed
Keep reading about Rosuvastatin
Keep reading about Abiraterone
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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