Drug Status in USA : Approved Drug Status in Canada : Approved
pronunciation
pronounced as (loe' va sta tin)
Why is this medication prescribed?
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.
How should this medicine be used?
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.
What are the precautions to be followed?
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.
What are possible side effects of this medication ?
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.
How to store the medication and dispose it of after its use later?
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.
Drug Category/Class
Anticholesteremic Agents
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitors
Lipid Modifying Agents, Plain
Lipid Modifying Agents
Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C8 Inhibitors
Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C8 Inducers
Combined Inhibitors of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein
CYP2D6 Inducers
CYP2D6 Inducers (strong)
Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9 Inhibitors
Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9 Inducer
Prescribed
For management as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated total-C, LDL-C, apo B, and TG levels in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixe...