Clinical data | |
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Trade names | Mevacor, Altocor, others |
Other names | Monacolin K, Mevinolin |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a688006 |
License data |
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Routes of administration | By mouth |
Drug class | Statin |
Legal status | |
Legal status |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | <5%[1] |
Protein binding | >98%[1] |
Metabolism | Hepatic (CYP3A and CYP2C8 substrate)[1] |
Elimination half-life | 2–5 hours[1] |
Excretion | Faeces (83%), urine (10%)[1] |
Identifiers | |
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Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C24H36O5 |
Molar mass | 404.547 g·mol−1 |
3D model (JSmol) | |
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Lovastatin, sold under the brand name Mevacor among others, is a statin medication, to treat high blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.[2] Its use is recommended together with lifestyle changes.[2] It is taken by mouth.[2]
Common side effects include diarrhea, constipation, headache, muscles pains, rash, and trouble sleeping.[2] Serious side effects may include liver problems, muscle breakdown, and kidney failure.[2] Use during pregnancy may harm the baby and use during breastfeeding is not recommended.[4] It works by decreasing the livers ability to produce cholesterol by blocking the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase.[2]
Lovastatin was patented in 1979 and approved for medical use in 1987.[5] It is available as a generic medication.[2] In the United States the wholesale cost is about 0.05 USD per dose.[6] In 2017, it was the 84th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than nine million prescriptions.[7][8] Lovastatin was not available in the United Kingdom as of 2009.[9]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Neuvonen, PJ; Backman, JT; Niemi, M (2008). "Pharmacokinetic comparison of the potential over-the-counter statins simvastatin, lovastatin, fluvastatin and pravastatin". Clinical Pharmacokinetics. 47 (7): 463–74. doi:10.2165/00003088-200847070-00003. PMID 18563955.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Lovastatin Monograph for Professionals". Drugs.com. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ "WHOCC - ATC/DDD Index". www.whocc.no. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ "Lovastatin Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Warnings". Drugs.com. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ Fischer, Jnos; Ganellin, C. Robin (2006). Analogue-based Drug Discovery. John Wiley & Sons. p. 472. ISBN 9783527607495.
- ^ "NADAC as of 2019-02-27". Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ "The Top 300 of 2020". ClinCalc. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Lovastatin - Drug Usage Statistics". ClinCalc. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Statins: updates to product safety information" (PDF). MHRA. November 2009. p. 2. Retrieved 3 March 2019.