Lovastatin (Oral Route)

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of lovastatin regular tablets for children 10 to 17 years of age. However, safety and efficacy in children younger than 10 years of age have not been established.

Teenage girls taking lovastatin regular tablets should be counseled on appropriate birth control methods to prevent pregnancy.

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of lovastatin extended-release tablets in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Studies in women breastfeeding have demonstrated harmful infant effects. An alternative to this medication should be prescribed or you should stop breastfeeding while using this medicine.

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For high cholesterol:
  • For oral dosage form (extended-release tablets):
    • Adults—At first, 20 to 60 milligrams (mg) once a day, in the evening at bedtime and taken as single dose. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
  • For oral dosage form (tablets):
    • Adults—At first, 20 milligrams (mg) once a day given with the evening meal. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 80 mg per day.
    • Children 10 to 17 years of age—At first, 10 mg once a day given with the evening meal. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 40 mg per day.
    • Children younger than 10 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.