Mevacor
Generic Name: Lovastatin
Brand Name: Mevacor
Indications
Mevacor is indicated for the treatment of Coronary heart disease and hypercholesterolemia.
Dosage and Administration
Mevacor are supplied as 20 mg and 40 mg tablets for oral administration.
Normal Dosage:
The patient should be placed on a standard cholesterol-lowering diet before receiving Mevacor and should continue on this diet during treatment with Mevacor. Mevacor should be given with meals.
Adult Patients: The usual recommended starting dose is 20 mg once a day given with the evening meal. The recommended dosing range of lovastatin is 10-80 mg/day in single or two divided doses; the maximum recommended dose is 80 mg/day.
Overdose: Overdose symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, stomach distress, and indigestion.
Drug Description
Lovastatin is [1S-[1α(R*),3α,7β,8β(2S*,4S*), 8aβ]]-1,2,3,7, 8,8a-hexahydro-3,7-dimethyl-8-[2-(tetrahydro-4-hydroxy-6-oxo-2H-pyran-2-yl)ethyl]-1-naphthalenyl 2-methylbutanoate. The empirical formula of lovastatin is C24H36O5 and its molecular weight is 404.55. Its structural formula is:
Lovastatin is a white, nonhygroscopic crystalline powder that is insoluble in water and sparingly soluble in ethanol, methanol, and acetonitrile.
Side Effects
- Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems have been associated with the use of this medication and other similar medicines. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, and fatigue. These may be early symptoms of muscle or liver problems.
- If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking this medication and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
- an allergic reaction
- blurred vision
- Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or is especially bothersome.
Precautions
- Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with the medication. The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous effects.
- Alcohol and this medication can both affect the liver. Alcohol should be used only in moderation. Discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor so that the potential for liver problems can be determined.
- This medication is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that it is known to cause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy. Do not take this medication if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
Drug Interactions
- Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
- gemfibrozil (Lopid), clofibrate (Atromid-S), or fenofibrate (Tricor)
- niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Slo-Niacin, others)
- erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, others) or clarithromycin (Biaxin)
- cholestyramine (Questran) or colestipol (Colestid)
- an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan), or ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- nefazodone (Serzone)
- warfarin (Coumadin)
- a protease inhibitor such as amprenavir (Agenerase), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir), lopinavir-ritonavir (Kaletra), or saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase)
