fluvastatin
Fluvastatin is a low-to-moderate intensity statin that's usually added onto a heart-healthy diet for people with high cholesterol. It lowers "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides and raises "good" cholesterol in the body. It also helps lower the risk of complications like heart attack and stroke in adults with heart disease. Generic fluvastatin immediate-release (IR) capsules are taken once or twice a day. There are also extended-release (ER) tablets that are taken once a day. The ER tablets are available under the brand name Lescol XL and as generic. Side effects include headache and indigestion.
What is Fluvastatin?
What is Fluvastatin used for?
Treatment of high cholesterol in adults
Treatment of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH, a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol) in people age 10 years and older
Lower the risk of complications (e.g., heart attack) in adults with heart disease
How Fluvastatin works
Fluvastatin is a statin. It works by blocking a protein in the liver that makes cholesterol. By blocking this protein, fluvastatin affects different types of cholesterol and fats in the body.
It lessens the amount of "bad" cholesterol in the blood. "Bad" cholesterol is also called low-density lipoprotein or LDL.
It also lowers the amount of triglyceride (a type of fat in the blood).
It helps raise the amount of "good" cholesterol a little bit in the body. "Good" cholesterol is also called high-density lipoprotein or HDL.
Drug Facts
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What are the side effects of Fluvastatin?
Common Side Effects
- Headache (9%)
- Indigestion (8%)
- Flu-like symptoms (5%)
- Muscle pain (5%)
- Diarrhea (5%)
- Stomach pain (5%)
- Flu-like symptoms (7%)
- Headache (5%)
- Muscle pain (4%)
- Stomach pain (4%)
- Indigestion (4%)
- Sinus infection (4%)
Other Side Effects
- Nausea
- Gas
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Sinus infection
- Joint pain
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Bronchitis
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
Serious Side Effects
- Severe muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis): severe muscle weakness or pain, dark brown urine, fever, tiredness
- Liver problems: yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, swelling of your stomach, dark or brown urine, confusion
Source: DailyMed
More on Fluvastatin side effects
The following side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Chills
general feeling of discomfort or illness
joint pain
loss of appetite
muscle aches and pain
shivering
sweating
trouble sleeping
unusual tiredness or weakness
vomiting
Less common
Bladder pain
bloody or cloudy urine
cough producing mucus
dark-colored urine
difficult, burning, or painful urination
difficulty with breathing
difficulty with moving
difficulty with swallowing
dizziness
fast heartbeat
frequent urge to urinate
lower back or side pain
muscle cramps, spasms, or stiffness
muscular pain, tenderness, wasting, or weakness
pain, swelling, or redness in the joints
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
skin rash
tightness in the chest
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Pros and cons of Fluvastatin
Pros
Lowers the risk of problems caused by high cholesterol, like heart attack or stroke, in people with heart disease
Less likely to cause muscle problems than other statins
Cons
Low-to-moderate intensity, so it isn't as strong as some other statins
Can't crush, chew, or open the pills if you have trouble swallowing them whole
Pharmacist tips for Fluvastatin
Mark your calendar for your blood test appointments while you're taking fluvastatin. Your prescriber will check your cholesterol levels to see if the medication is working well and if your dose needs to be adjusted. They'll also check your liver health to make sure it's still safe for you to take.
Swallow fluvastatin pills whole. Take the medication with or without food. If it's hurting your stomach, try taking the medication with food to help.
For the fluvastatin immediate-release capsules: Take the immediate-release capsules once or twice a day as instructed by your prescriber. If you're taking the medication once a day, take it in the evening so it works as best as it can for you.
For the fluvastatin extended-release tablets: You can take the extended-release tablet at any time of the day. Try to take it at the same time every day so it becomes a part of your daily routine.
Avoid or limit the amount of alcohol you drink while you're taking fluvastatin. Drinking alcohol while taking this medication can raise your risk of serious liver problems and muscle pain. It can also raise your cholesterol levels. Talk to a healthcare professional about your drinking habits.
Get medical help right away if you have severe muscle pain, dark-colored urine, or fever. These might be signs of rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown). This is a rare but serious condition that needs immediate treatment.
Tell your care team about all the medications you take and plan to take. Several medications can interact with fluvastatin. These interactions can either make your medications work less well or put you at risk for certain side effects. For example, the risk for muscle damage is higher if you take fluvastatin with fenofibrate (Tricor) or azithromycin (Zithromax).
Work with your care team to create a plan that includes a healthy, low-fat diet and regular exercise while taking fluvastatin. This will help you get the most benefit from your treatment.
More on Fluvastatin tips
Frequently asked questions about Fluvastatin
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What are the risks and warnings for Fluvastatin?
Fluvastatin can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Severe muscle pain and damage
Risk factors: Ages 65 years and older | Hypothyroidism that's not well-controlled | Kidney problems | Taking a higher dose of fluvastatin | Taking other medications that can also cause muscle problems or interact with fluvastatin
Fluvastatin can cause muscle pain and weakness. In rare cases, it can cause rhabdomyolysis. This is a serious and life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney damage. The risk is higher if you take other medications that cause muscle damage or interact with fluvastatin.
Rarely, statins like fluvastatin can cause immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM). This is an autoimmune condition that causes muscle inflammation and muscle weakness. It might last even after you stop taking the statin. You'll need to take other medications to treat IMNM.
Tell your care team if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. They can check what's going on. But get medical care right away if you have severe muscle pain, dark-colored urine, or extreme tiredness. These can be signs of rhabdomyolysis. Depending on your symptoms, you might need to stop taking fluvastatin.
Liver problems
Risk factors: History of liver problems | Drinking large amounts of alcohol
Some people taking fluvastatin had higher liver enzyme levels. This can be a sign of liver damage. Most times, these changes are temporary and don't cause symptoms. But in rare cases, serious liver problems, including liver failure, have happened.
Before starting fluvastatin, you might need a blood test to check your liver health. People who have liver problems or high liver enzyme levels shouldn't take this medication. You might also need regular blood tests during treatment to make sure it's still safe to take.
Get medical help right away if you have yellowing of the skin or eyes, stomach swelling, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, dark or bloody stools, or dark urine. These can be signs of liver damage. You might need to stop taking fluvastatin to prevent more harm to the liver.
Higher blood sugar levels
Risk factors: High blood sugar
Some research suggests that statins like fluvastatin might raise blood sugar levels. This can sometimes lead to higher hemoglobin A1C levels (average blood sugar over 3 months). But healthcare professionals believe that the benefits of statins outweigh this risk.
Tell your prescriber if you have diabetes or high blood sugar before you start fluvastatin. You might need to check your blood sugar more often. Also, follow a healthy, balanced diet and get regular exercise while you're taking fluvastatin.
Risk of harm during pregnancy or breastfeeding
Stop taking fluvastatin and tell your prescriber if you become pregnant. This medication isn't recommended during pregnancy unless the benefits are greater than the risks. Statins might harm an unborn baby. Talk to your prescriber about safer treatment options if you're pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant.
Breastfeeding is also not recommended while you're taking fluvastatin. Some statins can get into breast milk and might harm the baby. Talk to your prescriber or a lactation consultant about safe feeding options.
More on Fluvastatin warnings
Fluvastatin dosage forms
Typical dosing for Fluvastatin
Fluvastatin immediate-release capsule
Adults: The typical starting dosing is 40 mg by mouth once every evening or 40 mg by mouth twice a day. The general dose range is 20 mg to 80 mg per day.
Children 10 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH): The typical starting dose is 20 mg by mouth once every evening. The maximum dose is 40 mg by mouth twice per day.
Your dose might be lower if you also take cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune) or fluconazole (Diflucan) because of drug interactions.
Fluvastatin extended-release tablet (Lescol XL)
Adults: The typical dose is 80 mg by mouth once a day.
Children 10 years and older with HeFH: Children must first start with fluvastatin immediate-release capsules. When they reach a dose of 80 mg per day, they can switch to the extended-release tablet. The typical dose for fluvastatin extended-release capsules is 80 mg by mouth once a day.
Interactions between Fluvastatin and other drugs
More on Fluvastatin interactions
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Atazanavir
- Bezafibrate
- Ceritinib
- Ciprofibrate
- Clofibrate
- Dalfopristin
- Danazol
- Daptomycin
- Darunavir
- Entacapone
- Fenofibrate
- Fenofibric Acid
- Fluconazole
- Fosphenytoin
- Gemfibrozil
- Phenytoin
- Pixantrone
- Quinupristin
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Colchicine
- Eltrombopag
- Fostemsavir
- Glyburide
- Mifepristone
- Oat Bran
- Pectin
- Warfarin
How much does Fluvastatin cost?
Fluvastatin contraindications
Liver problems, including liver failure or severe liver cirrhosis
Unexplained, lasting high liver enzyme levels
What are alternatives to Fluvastatin?
Treatment of high cholesterol in adults
Treatment of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH, a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol) in people age 10 years and older
Lower the risk of complications (e.g., heart attack) in adults with heart disease
Prevention of heart or blood vessel problems (e.g., heart attack or stroke) in people at higher-risk for heart problems
Lower high "bad" cholesterol and triglyceride levels in certain people
Lower "bad" cholesterol levels
Prevention of heart or blood vessel problems (e.g., heart attack) in people at risk for heart disease
What is the latest news about Fluvastatin?
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References
Best studies we foundBrumit, M. L. (2014). What is heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia? Family Heart Foundation.
Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs. (n.d.). Lescol. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Grundy, S. M., et al. (2018). 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA guideline on the management of blood cholesterol: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation.
McTaggart, F., et al. (2008). Effects of statins on high-density lipoproteins: A potential contribution to cardiovascular benefit. Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy.
Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2020). Fluvastatin sodium- fluvastatin capsule [package insert]. DailyMed.
Sandoz Inc. (2023). Lescol XL- fluvastatin sodium tablet, extended release [package insert]. DailyMed.
Singh, P., et al. (2018). Statins decrease leptin expression in human white adipocytes. Physiological Reports.
Stroie, O. P., et al. (2020). Statin-induced immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy: An increasingly recognized inflammatory myopathy. Cureus.
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (2024). Fluvastatin sodium tablet, film coated, extended release [package insert]. DailyMed.
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