 Taking pitavastatin (Livalo)
Dear Patient,
Your health care provider has prescribed pitavastatin in addition to a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet to lower your cholesterol levels. The brand name of this drug is Livalo.
How you'll take pitavastatin
Take this drug by mouth about the same time each day. You may take it with or without food.
What to do if you miss a dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it's almost time for the next dose, just skip the missed dose. Don't try to make up doses. Don't take more than one dose per day.
What to do about side effects
Notify your health care provider if you experience side effects to this medication.
Less common: back pain, constipation, diarrhea, muscle pain or weakness, pain in the arms or legs.
What you must know about other medications
There are drugs that could cause serious problems if you combine them with this drug. Cyclosporine, protease inhibitor combination drugs (lopinavir/ritonavir), erythromycin, rifampin, gemfibrozil, and niacin could alter pitavastatin drug levels. You could experience serious adverse effects that affect your kidneys and muscles if you take the drug with grapefruit juice or herbal preparations intended to lower cholesterol. Tell any health care provider who takes care of you that you're taking this drug.
Special directions
- Your health care provider may monitor various blood test results while you're on this drug.
- Tell your health care provider if you have a history of kidney or liver disease or if you’ve experienced side effects from other drugs that lower cholesterol.
- Avoid grapefruit juice while taking this drug.
Keep in mind
- Notify your health care provider if you develop unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness.
- This drug could affect an unborn child. Don’t take this drug if you’re pregnant or considering becoming pregnant.
- It’s unknown how this drug could affect a nursing baby. Because of the potential for adverse effects another method of feeding the baby should be used.
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