Mevacor and High Liver Enzymes
Liver enzymes are usually measured to see if a person has liver damage -- they do not measure how well the liver is working. A number of things can increase liver enzymes, including:
Mevacor, along with the other
statins, is known to increase liver enzyme levels. However, this increase, except in rare cases, does not cause any symptoms. Your doctor will measure your liver enzyme levels prior to you starting Mevacor and several months after you start. He or she will also measure your liver enzyme levels if your dosage is increased.
If your liver enzymes are high, your doctor may continue to test them on a more frequent basis. If they remain high, your doctor may recommend lowering the dose of Mevacor or switching to another
cholesterol medication. When Mevacor is stopped, the liver enzymes, in most cases, return to the pre-Mevacor levels.
Mevacor and Liver Problems: Warnings and Precautions
Because Mevacor can affect the liver, it is used with caution in people who drink more than a moderate amount of alcohol or have a history of liver disease.
This drug is not recommended for people with liver disease or high liver enzymes before Mevacor is started.
Possible Symptoms of Liver Problems
There are a number of symptoms that can occur in someone who develops liver problems while taking Mevacor. You should contact your doctor if you have any of the following problems:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Passing of brown or dark-colored urine
- Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice)
- Feeling more tired than usual.
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