Advicor and Liver Problems

Side effects may occur with Advicor, and liver problems are one of the most common -- for example, cirrhosis, increased liver enzymes, and hepatitis. Because Advicor can affect the liver, it is used with caution in people who drink large amounts of alcohol or who have liver disease. Symptoms indicating a possible connection between Advicor and liver problems include stomach pain, nausea, and dark-colored urine.

 

Advicor and Liver Problems: An Overview

As with any medication, there are a number of possible side effects that can occur while taking Advicor® (niacin extended-release/lovastatin), including possible problems with the liver. For people taking Advicor, liver problems can include:
 
  • Increase in liver enzymes
  • Hepatitis (an inflammation of the liver that can cause tiredness or a general feeling of illness)
  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes that can occur as a result of liver damage)
  • Fatty change in the liver
  • Cirrhosis
  • Hepatoma (a type of liver cancer).
     
An increase in liver enzymes occurs in about 1 percent of people taking Advicor. The other liver problems mentioned above occur in less than 1 percent of patients as well. However, with these Advicor side effects, it is difficult to determine whether they are caused by the medication itself or by something else.
 

Advicor and Liver Problems: High Liver Enzymes

Liver enzymes are usually measured to see if a person has liver damage.
 They do not measure how well the liver is working. A number of things can increase liver enzymes, including certain medicines (such as antibiotics or certain anti-inflammatory medicines), alcohol, infections (such as mononucleosis or viral hepatitis), obesity, and diabetes.
 
Advicor, along with the other statins, are also known to increase liver enzyme levels. This increase in liver enzymes, except in very rare cases, does not cause any symptoms. However, your doctor will measure your liver enzyme levels prior to you starting Advicor and for several months thereafter. He or she will also measure your liver enzyme levels if your Advicor dosage is increased.
 
If your liver enzymes are high, your doctor may continue to test them on a more frequent basis. If they remain high, your doctor may recommend lowering the dose of Advicor or switching to another cholesterol medication. When Advicor is stopped, the liver enzymes (in most cases) return to the pre-Advicor levels.
 
(Advicor and Liver Problems Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;