dangers lescol
fluvastatin (FLEW va stah tin)
What is the most important information I should know about Lescol?
• Do not take Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you have liverdisease dangers lescol.
• Alcohol and Lescol can both damage your liver dangers lescol. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lescolis the best choice for lowering your cholesterol dangers lescol.
• Do not take Lescol if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby dangers lescol.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained musclepain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if it is accompanied by a fever, flulikesymptoms, or yellowing of your skin or eyes dangers lescol.
What is Lescol?
• Lescol blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body dangers lescol.
• Lescol is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol and totalcholesterol in your blood dangers lescol. Lescol also reduces the amounts of triglycerides(another type of fat) and apolipoprotein B (a protein needed to make cholesterol)in your blood dangers lescol. These actions are important in reducing the risk of hardeningof the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vasculardisease dangers lescol.
• Lescol may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide dangers lescol.
Who should not take Lescol?
• Do not take Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you have liverdisease dangers lescol.
• Before taking Lescol, tell your doctor if you
· have kidney disease,
· drink alcoholic beverages,
· have a chronic muscular disease, or
· have a blood disorder dangers lescol.
• You may not be able to take Lescol, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove dangers lescol.
• Lescol is in the FDA pregnancy category X dangers lescol. This means that Lescol willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy dangers lescol. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby dangers lescol. Do not take Lescol if you are pregnantor if you are planning a pregnancy dangers lescol.
• Lescol passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant dangers lescol. Do nottake Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding ababy dangers lescol.
• Lescol has not been approved for use by children younger than 18 yearsof age dangers lescol.
How should I take Lescol?
• Take Lescol exactly as directed by your doctor dangers lescol. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you dangers lescol.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water dangers lescol.
• For the greatest effect, Lescol is usually taken at bedtime or with anevening meal dangers lescol. Lescol may also be taken twice daily dangers lescol. Follow your doctor's directions dangers lescol.
• Do not crush, chew, or break the extended-release tablets (Lescol XL) dangers lescol. Swallow them whole dangers lescol.
• Your doctor will probably want to monitor your liver function with bloodtests before starting treatment with Lescol and at twelve weeks after both thestart of your treatment and any increase in dose dangers lescol. Depending on the results ofthese tests, your doctor can determine how much monitoring you will require dangers lescol.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet dangers lescol. To realize beneficial effects fromLescol, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods dangers lescol.
• Do not stop taking Lescol without first talking to your doctor dangers lescol. It maybe weeks or months before beneficial effects are seen from Lescol dangers lescol.
• Store Lescol at room temperature away from moisture and heat dangers lescol.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember dangers lescol. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose dangers lescol. Do not take a double dose of this medication dangers lescol.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention dangers lescol.
• Symptoms of a Lescol overdose include nausea, diarrhea, stomach distress,and indigestion dangers lescol.
What should I avoid while taking Lescol?
• Alcohol and Lescol can both damage your liver dangers lescol. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lescolis the best choice for lowering your cholesterol dangers lescol.
What are the possible side effects of Lescol?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingLescol and call your doctor immediately:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· muscle aches, pain, or weakness;
· "flu-like" symptoms;
· decreased urine or rust-colored urine;
· blurred vision; or
· yellowing of your eyes or skin dangers lescol.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur dangers lescol. Continueto take Lescol and talk to your doctor if you experience
· gas, bloating, nausea, stomach upset, heartburn, abdominal pain, constipation,or diarrhea;
· cough;
· headache; or
· insomnia dangers lescol.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur dangers lescol. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome dangers lescol.
What other drugs will affect Lescol?
• Do not take Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you are takingany of the following medicines:
· cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
· gemfibrozil (Lopid);
· niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Nicotinex, others); or
· clarithromycin (Biaxin);
· erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Ilotycin, Eryc, PCE, Ilosone,others) dangers lescol.
• These medications may interact with Lescol and damage your muscles dangers lescol.
• Before taking Lescol, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the followingmedicines:
· other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine (Questran)or colestipol (Colestid);
· digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps); or
· warfarin (Coumadin) dangers lescol.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above dangers lescol.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lescol dangers lescol. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines dangers lescol.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Lescol written for healthprofessionals that you may read dangers lescol.
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