Mevacor and Depression

There are many potential side effects of Mevacor, and depression is one of them. Depression is a rare side effect that occurs in less than 1 percent of patients who are taking the cholesterol medication. Some symptoms that may indicate signs of depression include feelings of hopelessness, irritability, and loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed.

 

Is Depression a Mevacor Side Effect?

There are many possible side effects for people taking Mevacor® (lovastatin). One rare Mevacor side effect is depression, occurring in less than 1 percent of patients. Given how infrequently depression occurs in people taking Mevacor, it is difficult to say whether depression is actually caused by the medicine itself or something else. This is especially true because in any given one-year period, 9.5 percent of the population (about 18.8 million American adults) has depression.
 

Mevacor and Depression: What to Look For

Possible symptoms of depression include:
 
  • Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
  • Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
  • Decreased energy; fatigue; feeling "slowed down"
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
  • Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
  • Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
  • Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
  • Restlessness and irritability
  • Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain, that do not respond to treatment.
     
Keep in mind that there are other conditions that can share similar symptoms with depression. If you experience any of these possible symptoms of depression while taking Mevacor, you should visit your healthcare provider so the problem can be diagnosed and treated.
 
(Mevacor and Depression Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;