Mevacor Side Effects

There are a number of potential side effects that may develop with the use of Mevacor. Side effects may include constipation, headache, muscle cramps, and indigestion. When they occur, side effect tend to be minor, and generally require little or no medical attention. There are, however, certain side effects with Mevacor that are more serious and would need to be reported to your healthcare provider immediately. These include unexplained muscle pain, feeling more tired than usual, and yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes.

 

Mevacor Side Effects: An Introduction

As with any medicine, there are possible side effects with Mevacor® (lovastatin). However, not everyone who takes Mevacor will develop problems. In fact, most people tolerate Mevacor well. When side effects do occur, they are usually minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or a healthcare professional. In previous research studies, up to 4.6 percent of people taking Mevacor stopped their medicine because of side effects.
 
If unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness develops while you are taking Mevacor, especially if you also have a fever or feel ill, it is important to contact your healthcare provider immediately.
 
(The side effects discussed below are not a complete list of side effects reported with Mevacor. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Mevacor side effects with you.)
 

Common Side Effects of Mevacor

Mevacor has been studied extensively in clinical trials, with thousands of people having been evaluated. In these studies, side effects are documented and then compared to side effects that occur in a similar group of people not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
 
Based on these studies, the most common Mevacor side effects include:
 
  • Gas -- up to 4.5 percent of people
  • Constipation -- up to 3.5 percent of people
  • Headache -- up to 3.2 percent of people
  • Muscle pain, known medically as myalgia -- up to 3 percent of people (see Mevacor and Muscle Pain)
  • Diarrhea -- up to 2.6 percent of people
  • Abdominal pain -- up to 2.5 percent of people.
     
The side effects mentioned below also occurred in more than 1 percent of people, and more often in the group taking Mevacor. These common side effects included, but were not limited to:
 
  • General feeling of weakness, known medically as asthenia
  • Indigestion, known medically as dyspepsia
  • Nausea
  • Muscle cramps
  • Dizziness
  • Unexplained rash
  • Blurred vision.
     
(Mevacor Side Effects Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;