MEVACOR (LOVASTATIN)

Mevacor Description

The best way to find out if your cholesterol is high is by going to see your doctor for a simple blood test. The worst way to find out if your cholesterol is high is through an emergency situation such as a heart attack or stroke. Mevacor can help to decrease the rate in which blood vessels become clogged, lowering your chances of developing a blockage.

Diet and exercise can help to keep your low density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides levels low, but not everyone is successful without help from medication such as Mevacor or generic Lovastatin. The generic alternative is not manufactured by the company that makes the brand product.

How Statins Work in Your Body to Lower Cholesterol

Mevacor is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor-more simply called a statin. When taken as directed, Mevacor inhibits HMG-CoA enzyme in your liver to reduce the production of cholesterol. The majority of cholesterol your body needs is made in your liver and the rest comes from your diet.

You can adjust your diet to eat healthier, exercise, and quit smoking to help keep your cholesterol down so you can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Triglyceride levels will also be reduced with Mevacor’s help. This is a fat made in your body and is found in many individuals with heart disease and diabetes.

Good and Bad Cholesterol

HDL, or high density lipoprotein, is considered the good cholesterol as it seems to protect you from a heart attack by carrying cholesterol away from your arteries and back to your liver so it passes out of your body and helps remove excess cholesterol from the plaque in your arteries in order to reduce the risk of a cardiac event.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL), considered the bad cholesterol, carries cholesterol from your liver and delivers it to the tissues in your body that need it. However, if you have too much LDL remaining, the LDL’s simply get rid of the extra cholesterol as they make their way through your bloodstream. Because this cholesterol is not being used up, it can build up on your blood vessel walls and cause your blood flow to become hampered which can lead to atherosclerosis or worse.

Before You Take Mevacor

Advise your doctor of any other medical conditions you may have and all Rx medicine, over-the-counter drugs, and vitamin supplements you are taking as there could be a negative interaction when taking Mevacor at the same time. You should not take Mevacor if you are pregnant.

Mevacor Precautions

Until you know how your body reacts to Mevacor or Lovastatin generic, you should not drive or take part in any activities that require you to be alert. Keep all medications out of children’s reach and never share your Rx drugs with anyone.

Possible Side Effects of Mevacor

• Mild muscle, back or joint pain
• Headache
• Sleep problems
• Stomach pain, constipation

In rare cases, Mevacor can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. You should contact your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine.