lovastatin – oral, Mevacor

Medication Uses How To Use Side Effects Precautions Drug Interactions Overdose Notes Missed Dose Storage USES: Lovastatin is used with a proper diet to lower "bad" cholesterol and fats (LDL, triglycerides) and raise "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. It belongs to a group of drugs called "statins." It works by reducing the amount of cholesterol made by the liver. Lowering "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides and raising "good" cholesterol decreases the risk of heart disease and helps prevent strokes and heart attacks. In addition to a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet, other lifestyle changes that may help this medication work better include exercising, losing weight if overweight, and stopping smoking. Consult your doctor for more details. HOW TO USE: Take this medication as directed by your doctor, usually once daily with your evening meal. Some patients may take this medication twice daily. Dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and other medications you may be taking. Be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products. Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while using this medication unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Grapefruit can increase the amount of this medication in your bloodstream. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. If you also take other drugs to lower your cholesterol (bile acid-binding resins such as cholestyramine or colestipol), take lovastatin at least 1 hour before or at least 4 hours after taking these medications. These products can react with lovastatin, preventing its full absorption. Take this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. Remember to take it at the same time(s) each day. Continue taking this medication even if you feel well. Most people with high cholesterol or triglycerides do not feel sick. Continue to follow your doctor’s advice about diet and exercise. It may take up to 4 weeks before you get the full benefit of this drug. SIDE EFFECTS: Your doctor has prescribed this medication because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. A very small number of people taking lovastatin may have mild memory problems or confusion. If these rare effects occur, talk to your doctor. This drug may infrequently cause muscle problems (which can rarely lead to very serious conditions called rhabdomyolysis and autoimmune myopathy). Tell your doctor right away if you develop any of these symptoms during treatment and if these symptoms persist after your doctor stops this drug: muscle pain/tenderness/weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness), change in the amount of urine. This medication may rarely cause liver problems. If you notice any of the following rare but serious side effects, tell your doctor immediately: yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, severe stomach/abdominal pain, persistent nausea/vomiting. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

PRECAUTIONS: Before taking lovastatin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: liver disease, kidney disease, alcohol use. Before surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products. Limit alcoholic beverages. Daily use of alcohol may increase your risk for liver problems, especially when combined with lovastatin. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially muscle problems. This medication must not be used during pregnancy. Lovastatin may harm an unborn baby. Therefore, it is important to prevent pregnancy while taking this medication. Consult your doctor for more details and to discuss the use of reliable forms of birth control (such as condoms, birth control pills) while taking this medication. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor immediately. It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk. Because of the possible risk to the infant, breastfeeding while using this drug is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding. DRUG INTERACTIONS: See also How to Use section. Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use, including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products, and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval. Some products that may interact with this drug include: "blood thinners" (such as warfarin), gemfibrozil. Other medications can affect the removal of lovastatin from your body, which may affect how lovastatin works. Examples include certain azole antifungals (such as itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole), colchicine, cyclosporine, delavirdine, dronedarone, macrolide antibiotics (such as clarithromycin, erythromycin), nefazodone, HIV protease inhibitors (such as lopinavir, ritonavir), a certain combination HIV medication (elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir), hepatitis C virus protease inhibitors (such as boceprevir, telaprevir), telithromycin, among others. Do not take any red yeast rice products while taking lovastatin since those products may also contain lovastatin. Taking lovastatin and red yeast rice products together can increase your risk of serious muscle and liver problems. OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately.

QUESTION

NOTES: Do not share this medication with others. Laboratory and/or medical tests (such as blood cholesterol/triglyceride levels) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details. MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up. STORAGE: Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Storage temperature ranges differ according to different manufacturers, so consult your pharmacist for more information. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product. Information last revised February 2014. Copyright(c) 2014 First Databank, Inc.

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. Consult a healthcare professional before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.