Fluvastatin Information
If your doctor has diagnosed you with high cholesterol, he may have prescribed Fluvastatin. This is a drug that inhibits cholesterol production of the liver. Not only does it lower your overall blood cholesterol level, it will also reduce LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. LDL cholesterol is what many refer to as ‘bad’ cholesterol and has been shown to be the main cause of coronary artery disease. With the help of this drug, LDL cholesterol levels will go down which helps to slow and even reverse the disease progression. When this occurs, your risk of a heart attack is reduced.
Before prescribing Fluvastatin, your doctor will likely recommend that you lose weight, eat a modified diet and follow an exercise program. The diet will be low in saturated fats and cholesterol. Only if these measures do not work will he prescribe a medication such as this. Many factors go into determining if Fluvastatin is right for you. This will include your LDL cholesterol level, whether or not you smoke, if you have diabetes or hypertension or a family history of early coronary heart disease. Your blood cholesterol will be checked on a regular basis while taking the medication to ensure you are getting the right dose.
Most people can take Fluvastatin with no problems. If you have liver or alcohol disease, caution must be taken though. In rare cases, you may experience muscle inflammation and/or breakdown if you are taking other drugs from this class of medication. When muscle breakdown occurs, muscle protein is released into the kidney tubules and blood which can lead to kidney failure. No cases of this have been reported with Fluvastatin, but drug interactions have occurred with Tagamet, Zantac and Lanoxin. Children cannot use this medication for high cholesterol.
Side effects are not commonly seen with Fluvastatin. Constipation, fatigue, heartburn, insomnia and joint pain are just a few that have been mentioned. Diarrhea, gas and headaches have also been reported. These are minor. Major ones to be aware of include blurred vision, easy bleeding or bruising, rash, and abdominal pain or cramps among others. The more you know about this drug, the better you will be able to make an informed decision as to whether or not this drug is right for you.
Fluvastatin
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