Advicor Side Effects

Commonly reported side effects of Advicor include diarrhea, back or stomach pain, and itchy skin. Up to 71 percent of people taking the drug experienced flushing, and about 20 percent developed infections. If you experience any serious side effects, such as unexplained muscle pain or weakness (especially if you have a fever or feel ill), you should contact your doctor right away.

An Introduction to Advicor Side Effects

As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Advicor® (niacin extended-release/lovastatin). However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. If side effects of Advicor do occur, in most cases, they are minor, meaning they require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider. In research studies, up to 19 percent of people stopped taking Advicor because of side effects. The main reason for stopping the medicine was flushing, which is sudden reddening and warmth of the face, neck, and/or upper chest.
 
When taking Advicor, if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness (especially if accompanied by a fever or feeling of illness), it is important to contact your healthcare provider immediately.
 
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Advicor. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Advicor side effects with you.)
 

Common Side Effects of Advicor

Advicor has been studied in clinical trials, with hundreds of people having been evaluated.
 In these studies, side effects were documented and compared to side effects that occurred in a similar group of people taking either lovastatin or extended-release niacin alone (rather than the combination of the two).
 
Based on these studies, the most common Advicor side effects included:
 
  • Flushing -- in up to 71 percent of people
  • Infection -- up to 20 percent
  • Headaches -- up to 9 percent
  • Pain -- up to 8 percent
  • Nausea -- up to 7 percent.
     
Other commonly reported side effects (occurring in 3 to 6 percent of people) included:
 
  • Vomiting
  • High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
  • General feeling of weakness (asthenia)
  • Flu
  • Back pain
  • Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
  • Diarrhea
 
(Advicor Side Effects Continued: Page 2)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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