Lovastatin

Lovastatin Medicine

What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?

Prior to taking lovastatin, you should tell your healthcare provider if you have:

Liver disease or liver failure
Kidney disease or kidney failure
A genetic condition known as homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia
Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives.

Let your healthcare provider know if you:

Are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant (see Mevacor and Pregnancy)
Are breastfeeding (see Lovastatin and Breastfeeding)
Will be undergoing a procedure or surgery
Drink alcohol frequently.

Also, tell your healthcare provider about all other medicines you are currently taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

(Click Precautions and Warnings of Lovastatin to learn more, including information on who should not take the drug.)

How Does Lovastatin Work?

Lovastatin is part of a class of drugs called statins. It works by blocking a particular enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) that controls the rate of cholesterol production in the body. This causes the liver to make less cholesterol. The medication also:

Increases the liver's ability to collect and get rid of LDL cholesterol ("bad cholesterol")
Increases HDL cholesterol ("good cholesterol")
Decreases triglycerides.

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