Lovastatin Tips from Pharmacists

• Continue taking lovastatin even if you don’t have any symptoms. High cholesterol levels do not usually cause symptoms but are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

• Avoid drinking grapefruit juice or eating grapefruit while on lovastatin. Grapefruit can increase the serum concentration of the drug and cause more severe side effects.

• Statin medications can increase your risk of serious muscle problems. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop sudden unexplained muscle pain or weakness.

• If you have pre-diabetes (high blood glucose that is not high enough to qualify as diabetes), talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of taking statins. Research has shown that statin medications can increase the risk of developing diabetes mellitus.

• Check with your doctor before taking supplements such as red yeast rice to lower blood cholesterol. This supplement has a similar chemical structure as lovastatin and could cause more severe adverse effects if you take them together.