Mevacor Alternatives

Alternatives to Mevacor include other statins and other cholesterol medicines. Fibrates, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, and niacin are some of the other cholesterol medicines that are effective in treating high cholesterol and high triglycerides. Other statins may include rosuvastatin, fluvastatin, or pravastatin. Keep in mind that not all Mevacor alternatives are suitable for every individual situation, and be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about what makes sense for you.

Mevacor Medication

Mevacor Alternatives: An Overview

Lifestyle changes are the first line of treatment for lowering cholesterol. However, for some people, treating high cholesterol with diet, weight control, and exercise are not enough. If lifestyle changes alone are not enough, your doctor can prescribe cholesterol medications. One such medicine is Mevacor^® (lovastatin). For most people, Mevacor is quite effective in lowering cholesterol. It is also generally well tolerated. However, Mevacor side effects can occur, and people may wish to consider alternatives. These alternatives could include other statins or other cholesterol medicines.

Mevacor Alternatives: Other Statins

Mevacor is part of a class of drugs called statins (or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors). Statins work 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. Mevacor also:

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

There are several types of statins available that could be considered a substitute for Mevacor. These include:

There is an extended-release form of lovastatin available. The brand name is Altoprev^®. There are also several generic versions of these prescription statins, including a generic for Mevacor (see Generic Mevacor). To see if a generic statin is appropriate for your particular situation, talk to your healthcare provider.

(Mevacor Alternatives Continued: Page 2)