Index
It is a medication that reduces cholesterol. Also, it works better if it is taken at night. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interact with this drug.
Lovastatin is a prescription drug used to treat high cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease. It belongs to a group of medicines called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, also known as statins.
It works by decreasing the amount of cholesterol produced in the body.
Presentations
The presentation of Lovastatin is usually in a tablet, in addition to a prolonged release. Regarding the dose to be taken, twice a day with each meal is enough. However, the extended-release pill is usually taken once a day before going to bed.
Characteristics:
- Color: green
- Shape: octagon (8 sides).
- Size: 7.00
Indications
Lovastatin is a prescription medication used to treat high cholesterol levels.
It may also be empowered for other purposes. However, ask your doctor or pharmacist to have more knowledge of your case.
Trademarks of Lovastatin
Lovastatin can be found under the following brands:
- Advisor.
- Alcor.
- Altoprev.
- Mevacor.
Class
Lovastatin is part of the class of drugs:
- Inhibitors of HMG CoA reductase.
Side effects
The most common side effects reported for Lovastatin include:
- Constipation .
- Memory loss or forgetting.
- Confusion.
- Muscle pain, sensitivity, or weakness
- Fever.
- Nausea.
- Blurry vision.
- Itch.
- Eruption.
This is not a complete list of the side effects of Lovastatin. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Call your doctor for medical information about side effects. You can report side effects to it for further analysis.
Interactions
Tell your doctor about all the medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially, tell your doctor if you take:
- Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone).
- Cimetidine (Tagamet).
- Clarithromycin (Biaxin).
- Colchicine (Colcrys).
- Danazol (Danocrine).
- Ciclosporina (Neoral, Sandimmune).
- Espironolactone (Aldactona).
- Erythromycin (EES, E-Mycin, Erythrocin).
- Oral contraceptives (birth control pills).
- Espironolactone (Aldactona).
- Telitromicina (Ketek).
- Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin)..
- Warfarina (Coumadin, Jantoven)
- Antifungal medications such as itraconazole (Sporanox), posaconazole (Noxafil) and ketoconazole (Nizoral).
- Inhibitors of HIV protease such as amprenavir (Agenerase), atazanavir (Reyataz) and darunavir (Prezista).
Other medicines to reduce cholesterol such as fenofibrate (Tricor), gemfibrozil (Lopid) and niacin (nicotinic acid, Niacor, Niaspan)
Precautions
Serious side effects with Lovastatin have been reported, including:
Myopathy and rhabdomyolysis (muscle damage and dysfunction). Tell your health care provider immediately if you have any or all of the following symptoms:
- Muscle pain.
- Muscular weakness.
Liver problems: Tell your health care provider immediately if you have any or all of the following symptoms of liver problems:
- Feeling tired or weak
- Loss of appetite
- Pain in the upper belly.
- Dark and amber urine.
- Yellow tint of the skin or eyes.
Lovastatin may cause dizziness or blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Lovastatin affects you.
Do not take Lovastatin if you are:
- Taking medicines that stop the function of the CYP3A4 enzyme (for example, itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, clarithromycin, telithromycin, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, and nefazodone).
- Use erythromycin.
- You are allergic to Lovastatin or any ingredient found in this medicine.
- If you have any active liver disease, which may include unexplained high levels of markers of liver function.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.