Mevacor and Liver Problems

The link between Mevacor and liver problems is not completely clear. However, it is known that an increase in liver enzymes occurs in about 2 percent of people taking this drug. Other liver problems that may develop while taking Mevacor include hepatitis, jaundice, and cirrhosis. Your healthcare provider will measure your liver enzyme levels prior to you starting Mevacor and several months after you start to help monitor your progress.

 

Mevacor and Liver Problems: An Overview

As with any medication, there are a number of possible side effects that can occur while taking Mevacor® (lovastatin), including possible problems with the liver. For people taking Mevacor, liver problems can include:
 
  • An increase in liver enzymes
  • Hepatitis (an inflammation of the liver that can cause tiredness or a general feeling of illness)
  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes that can occur from liver damage)
  • Fatty change in the liver
  • Cirrhosis
  • Hepatoma (a type of liver cancer).
     
Increases in liver enzymes occur in about 2 percent of people taking Mevacor. Other liver problems mentioned above occur in less than 1 percent of people. For these Mevacor side effects, it is difficult to determine whether they are actually caused by the medication or something else.
 

Mevacor and Liver Problems: 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 certain medicines (such as antibiotics or certain anti-inflammatory medicines), alcohol, infections (such as mononucleosis or viral hepatitis), obesity, and diabetes.
 
Mevacor, along with the other statins, is known to increase liver enzyme levels. This increase in liver enzymes, except in very rare cases, does not cause any symptoms. However, 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 Mevacor 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 Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;