Uses of Lovastatin
Lovastatin is used together with diet, weight-loss, and exercise to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke and to decrease the chance that heart surgery will be needed in people who have heart disease or who are at risk of developing heart disease. Lovastatin is also used to decrease the amount of cholesterol (a fat-like substance) and other fatty substances in the blood. Lovastatin is in a class of medications called HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). It works by slowing the production of cholesterol in the body to decrease the amount of cholesterol that may build up on the walls of the arteries and block blood flow to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body.
Accumulation of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases blood flow and, therefore, the oxygen supply to your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. Lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats with lovastatin may help prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks.
Side Effects of Lovastatin
Lovastatin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- constipation
- memory loss or forgetfulness
- confusion
Some side effects can be serious. The following symptoms are uncommon, but if you experience any of them, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical help:
- muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness
- lack of energy
- weakness
- fever
- dark-colored urine
- yellowing of the skin or eyes
- pain in the upper right part of the stomach
- extreme tiredness
- nausea
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- loss of appetite
- flu-like symptoms
- rash
- hives
- itching
- difficulty breathing or swallowing
- swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
- hoarseness
Lovastatin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
Warnings & Precautions
Before taking lovastatin:
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to lovastatin, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in lovastatin tablets or extended-release tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
- tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications: antifungals such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), posaconazole (Noxafil), and voriconazole (Vfend); boceprevir (Victrelis); clarithromycin (Biaxin); cobicistat-containing medications (Stribild); erythromycin (E.E.S.,EryC); nefazodone; certain HIV protease inhibitors including atazanavir (Reyataz), darunavir (Prezista), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), lopinavir (in Kaletra), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), saquinavir (Invirase), and tipranavir (Aptivus); telaprevir (Incivek); and telithromycin (Ketek). Your doctor will probably tell you not to take lovastatin if you are taking one or more of these medications.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone); anticoagulants (‘blood thinners’) such as warfarin (Coumadin); cimetidine (Tagamet); colchicine (Colcrys); cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); danazol (Danocrine); diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac); dronedarone (Multaq); other cholesterol-lowering medications such as fenofibrate (Tricor), gemfibrozil (Lopid), and niacin (nicotinic acid, Niacor, Niaspan); spironolactone (Aldactone); ranolazine (Ranexa); and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan). Many other medications may also interact with lovastatin, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
- tell your doctor if you have liver disease. Your doctor will order laboratory tests to see how well your liver is working even if you do not think you have liver disease. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take lovastatin if you have liver disease or if the tests show that you may be developing liver disease.
- tell your doctor if you drink more than two alcoholic beverages daily, if you are 65 years of age or older, if you have ever had liver disease or if you have or have ever had seizures, muscle aches or weakness, low blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. You should not become pregnant while you are taking lovastatin. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that you can use during your treatment. If you become pregnant while taking lovastatin, stop taking lovastatin and call your doctor immediately. Lovastatin may harm the fetus.
- do not breastfeed while you are taking this medication.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking lovastatin. If you are hospitalized due to serious injury or infection, tell the doctor who treats you that you are taking lovastatin.
- ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are taking lovastatin. Alcohol can increase the risk of serious side effects.
Dosage
Lovastatin comes as a tablet and an extended-release (long-acting) tablet to take by mouth. The regular tablet usually is taken once or twice a day with meals. The extended-release tablet usually is taken once a day at bedtime. Take lovastatin at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take lovastatin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Swallow the extended-release tablets whole; do not split, chew, or crush them.
Your doctor may start you on a low dose of lovastatin and gradually increase your dose, not more than once every 4 weeks.
Continue to take lovastatin even if you feel well. Do not stop taking lovastatin without talking to your doctor.
Other
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order laboratory tests during your treatment, especially if you develop symptoms of liver damage.
Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking lovastatin.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
Source
All information has been provided courtesy of MedLinePlus from the National Library of Medicine and from the FDA.
