An Introduction to Advicor Dosing
- Your age
- The medical condition you are being treated for
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may be currently taking (see Advicor Drug Interactions)
- Your cholesterol goal.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless specifically instructed to do so by your healthcare provider.
Dose of Advicor for High Cholesterol
The recommended starting Advicor dose for most people with
high cholesterol is 500 mg/20 mg once a day, taken at bedtime with a low-fat snack.
Your healthcare provider may increase your dose if necessary. This must be done slowly to minimize flushing due to the
niacin component of the medication. It is recommended to increase the dose no more rapidly than by 500 mg (based on the niacin component) every four weeks. The dosage can also be decreased if
Advicor side effects occur. The maximum recommended daily dosage of Advicor is 2000 mg/40 mg.
There is no way to take less than 20 mg of the
lovastatin component while taking Advicor, since the tablets cannot be split. Therefore, if a lower lovastatin dosage is recommended in your particular situation, this medication is not a good choice for you.
In order to minimize flushing, your healthcare provider may recommend taking aspirin or other similar nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as
ibuprofen. This works best if you take the aspirin or
NSAID about 30 minutes before your Advicor dose. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider first, since there may be a reason why you should not take aspirin or an NSAID.
