Mevacor Uses

Mevacor Medication

How Does Mevacor Work?

Mevacor is part of a class of drugs called statins. It works 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 and increases its ability to collect and get rid of LDL cholesterol.

Because of the effects of Mevacor, the following forms of cholesterol and fats are decreased:

Total cholesterol
LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)
Triglycerides.

Mevacor also increases HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).

Mevacor as One Part of Cholesterol Treatment

The main goal of any high cholesterol treatment is to lower your LDL cholesterol enough to reduce your risk for developing problems related to high cholesterol (see Effects of High Cholesterol). The higher your risk, the lower your LDL goal will be.

(Click High Cholesterol Risk to see a list of risk factors that may affect your cholesterol level, as well as a list of ideal LDL cholesterol levels.)

Any cholesterol treatment begins with lifestyle changes (weight loss, low-cholesterol diet, and exercise). If lifestyle changes alone are not effective in lowering cholesterol to a good level, medication such as Mevacor may be necessary.

Mevacor Use in Children

Mevacor has been approved to treat high cholesterol in children ages 10 to 17 with a certain genetic condition known as heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. For adolescent girls, the drug is approved to be started one year after their first period, but no sooner.

(Mevacor Uses Continued: Page 3)
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