drug information 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 drug information lescol.
• Alcohol and Lescol can both damage your liver drug information 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 drug information lescol.
• Do not take Lescol if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby drug information 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 drug information lescol.
What is Lescol?
• Lescol blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body drug information lescol.
• Lescol is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol and totalcholesterol in your blood drug information lescol. Lescol also reduces the amounts of triglycerides(another type of fat) and apolipoprotein B (a protein needed to make cholesterol)in your blood drug information lescol. These actions are important in reducing the risk of hardeningof the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vasculardisease drug information lescol.
• Lescol may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide drug information lescol.
Who should not take Lescol?
• Do not take Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you have liverdisease drug information 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 drug information 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 drug information lescol.
• Lescol is in the FDA pregnancy category X drug information lescol. This means that Lescol willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy drug information lescol. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby drug information lescol. Do not take Lescol if you are pregnantor if you are planning a pregnancy drug information lescol.
• Lescol passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant drug information lescol. Do nottake Lescol without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding ababy drug information lescol.
• Lescol has not been approved for use by children younger than 18 yearsof age drug information lescol.
How should I take Lescol?
• Take Lescol exactly as directed by your doctor drug information lescol. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you drug information lescol.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water drug information lescol.
• For the greatest effect, Lescol is usually taken at bedtime or with anevening meal drug information lescol. Lescol may also be taken twice daily drug information lescol. Follow your doctor's directions drug information lescol.
• Do not crush, chew, or break the extended-release tablets (Lescol XL) drug information lescol. Swallow them whole drug information 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 drug information lescol. Depending on the results ofthese tests, your doctor can determine how much monitoring you will require drug information lescol.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet drug information lescol. To realize beneficial effects fromLescol, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods drug information lescol.
• Do not stop taking Lescol without first talking to your doctor drug information lescol. It maybe weeks or months before beneficial effects are seen from Lescol drug information lescol.
• Store Lescol at room temperature away from moisture and heat drug information lescol.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember drug information lescol. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose drug information lescol. Do not take a double dose of this medication drug information lescol.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention drug information lescol.
• Symptoms of a Lescol overdose include nausea, diarrhea, stomach distress,and indigestion drug information lescol.
What should I avoid while taking Lescol?
• Alcohol and Lescol can both damage your liver drug information 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 drug information 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 drug information lescol.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur drug information 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 drug information lescol.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur drug information lescol. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome drug information 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) drug information lescol.
• These medications may interact with Lescol and damage your muscles drug information 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) drug information lescol.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above drug information lescol.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lescol drug information lescol. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines drug information lescol.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Lescol written for healthprofessionals that you may read drug information lescol.
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