Does Advicor Cause Liver Problems?
- 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).
In clinical trials, an increase in liver enzymes occurs in about 1 percent of people taking Advicor. The other liver problems mentioned were not necessarily seen in clinical trials but have been reported with Advicor,
niacin,
lovastatin, or other similar medications. With these potential
Advicor side effects, it is difficult to determine whether they are caused by the medication itself or by something else.
Advicor and 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:
Advicor, along with the other
statins, are also known to increase liver enzyme levels. This increase in liver enzymes, except in 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.
