altocor cholesterol
lovastatin (LOE va stah tin)
Altocor, Mevacor
What is the most important information I should know about Altocor?
• Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems have been associatedwith the use of Altocor and other similar medicines altocor cholesterol. Contact your doctor immediatelyif you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especiallyif accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the skin or eyes,abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, dark colored urine or pale colored stools altocor cholesterol. These may be early symptoms of muscle or liver problems altocor cholesterol.
• Do not take Altocor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease altocor cholesterol.
• Alcohol and Altocor can both be damaging to the liver altocor cholesterol. Alcohol shouldbe used only in moderation altocor cholesterol. Discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor so thatthe potential for liver problems can be determined altocor cholesterol.
• Do not take Altocor if you are pregnant, could become pregnant duringtreatment, or if you are breast-feeding a baby altocor cholesterol.
What is Altocor?
• Altocor is an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor altocor cholesterol. Altocor blocks the productionof cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body altocor cholesterol.
• Altocor is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol and totalcholesterol in the blood altocor cholesterol. These actions are important in the prevention of heartdisease and hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attack, stroke,and peripheral vascular disease altocor cholesterol.
• Altocor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide altocor cholesterol.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Altocor?
• Do not take Altocor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease altocor cholesterol.
• Before taking Altocor, tell your doctor if you
· have kidney disease,
· drink alcoholic beverages,
· have a chronic muscular disease, or
· have a blood disorder altocor cholesterol.
• You may not be able to take Altocor, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove altocor cholesterol.
• Altocor is in the FDA pregnancy category X altocor cholesterol. This means that Altocor isknown to cause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy altocor cholesterol. Do not take Altocorif you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment altocor cholesterol.
• It is not known whether Altocor passes into breast milk altocor cholesterol. Do not takeAltocor without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby altocor cholesterol.
How should I take Altocor?
• Take Altocor exactly as directed by your doctor altocor cholesterol. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you altocor cholesterol.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water altocor cholesterol.
• Do not crush or chew the extended-release Altocor tablets (Altocor) altocor cholesterol. Swallow them whole altocor cholesterol. They are specially formulated to release the medicationslowly in the body altocor cholesterol.
• For the greatest effect, Altocor is usually taken at bedtime or withan evening meal altocor cholesterol. If you take Altocor several times daily, take it with meals altocor cholesterol. Follow your doctor's directions altocor cholesterol.
• Your doctor may want to monitor your liver function with blood testsbefore starting treatment with Altocor, at six and twelve weeks after both thestart of your treatment and any increase in dose, and periodically (every 6months) thereafter altocor cholesterol. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor candetermine how much monitoring you will require altocor cholesterol.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Altocor altocor cholesterol. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects altocor cholesterol. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor altocor cholesterol. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor altocor cholesterol.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet altocor cholesterol. To see beneficial effects from Altocor,avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods altocor cholesterol.
• It is important to take Altocor regularly to get the most benefit altocor cholesterol.
• Do not stop taking Altocor without first talking to your doctor altocor cholesterol. Altocormay need to be taken on a long-term basis for the treatment of high cholesterol altocor cholesterol.
• Your doctor may want you to have blood tests or other medical evaluationsduring treatment with Altocor to monitor progress and side effects altocor cholesterol.
• Store Altocor at room temperature away from moisture and heat altocor cholesterol.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember altocor cholesterol. However, if it is almosttime for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularlyscheduled dose altocor cholesterol. Do not take a double dose of this medication altocor cholesterol.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected altocor cholesterol.
• Symptoms of a Altocor overdose include nausea, diarrhea, stomach distress,and indigestion altocor cholesterol.
What should I avoid while taking Altocor?
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Altocor altocor cholesterol. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects altocor cholesterol. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor altocor cholesterol. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor altocor cholesterol.
• Alcohol and Altocor can both be damaging to the liver altocor cholesterol. Alcohol shouldbe used only in moderation altocor cholesterol. Discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor so thatthe potential for liver problems can be determined altocor cholesterol.
What are the possible side effects of Altocor?
• Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems have been associatedwith the use of Altocor and other similar medicines altocor cholesterol. Contact your doctor immediatelyif you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especiallyif accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the skin or eyes,abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, dark colored urine or pale colored stools altocor cholesterol. These may be early symptoms of muscle or liver problems altocor cholesterol.
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingAltocor and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat;swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· decreased urine or rust-colored urine; or
· blurred vision altocor cholesterol.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur altocor cholesterol. Continueto take Altocor and talk to your doctor if you experience
· gas, bloating, nausea, stomach upset, heartburn, abdominal pain, constipation,or diarrhea;
· cough;
· headache; or
· insomnia altocor cholesterol.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur altocor cholesterol. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome altocor cholesterol.
What other drugs will affect Altocor?
• Do not take Altocor without first talking to your doctor if you are takingany 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); or
· a protease inhibitor such as amprenavir (Agenerase), indinavir (Crixivan),nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir), lopinavir-ritonavir (Kaletra), orsaquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase) altocor cholesterol.
• You may not be able to take Altocor, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicineslisted above altocor cholesterol.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Altocor altocor cholesterol. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products altocor cholesterol.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Altocor written forhealth professionals that you may read altocor cholesterol.
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