Drug Interactions With Lovastatin

Combining a fibrate with lovastatin increases the risk of serious muscle problems. This combination should be avoided unless the potential benefits outweigh the risks of the drug interaction. If you take a fibrate, the maximum recommended dose of lovastatin is 20 mg daily.

 

Taking danazol and lovastatin together may increase the risk for developing serious muscle problems, such as myopathy or rhabdomyolysis. Your healthcare provider may choose to monitor your progress more closely and make necessary dosing adjustments. If you take danazol, the recommended starting lovastatin dosage is 10 mg daily and the maximum recommended dosage is 20 mg daily.

 

People on lovastatin should not drink grapefruit juice, eat grapefruit, or use grapefruit supplements because it can increase the levels of medication in the blood. This can increase the chances for developing a serious muscle problem (myopathy or rhabdomyolysis), which can cause the kidneys to stop working (see Mevacor and Muscle Pain).

 

If you are being treated with lovastatin and want to continue drinking grapefruit juice, talk to your doctor about other cholesterol medications that you can take.

 

Both niacin and lovastatin alone can increase the chances for developing serious muscle problems. Therefore, combining these medicines may pose an even greater risk. If you are taking lovastatin and niacin, your healthcare provider may choose to monitor your progress more closely and make necessary dosing adjustments. The dose of lovastatin should not exceed 20 mg per day.

 

Combining nefazodone with lovastatin increases the risk of serious muscle problems. In general, these medications should not be taken together.