fluvastatin vs lovastatin
Side-by-side comparison of fluvastatin and lovastatin Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Lescol
Mevacor, Altoprev
Fluvastatin (Lescol) is a medicine that helps lower cholesterol levels in your blood. It belongs to a group of drugs called statins.
Lovastatin is a medicine that helps lower cholesterol levels in your blood. It belongs to a class of drugs called statins.
This medicine is used to lower high cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) in adults and children (10-16 years old) with certain inherited cholesterol problems. It can also lower the risk of needing procedures to improve blood flow to the heart in adults with heart disease. Fluvastatin can also slow down the hardening of arteries in people with heart disease.
Lovastatin is used to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart problems. It can help prevent heart attacks, unstable angina (chest pain), and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries. It's also used to slow down the hardening of arteries in people who already have heart disease. Lovastatin can also be used in children 10-17 years of age with high cholesterol due to genetic causes.
Fluvastatin works by blocking a substance your body needs to make cholesterol. This helps to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides while raising good cholesterol (HDL). By lowering cholesterol, it helps prevent heart disease and stroke.
Lovastatin works by blocking a substance your body needs to make cholesterol. This helps to lower the amount of cholesterol in your blood. Lowering cholesterol helps to prevent heart disease and stroke.
- • Headache
- • Upset stomach
- • Muscle pain
- • Abdominal pain
- • Nausea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Constipation
- • Diarrhea
- • Gas
- • Nausea
- Muscle pain 669
- Diarrhea 371
- Feeling lightheaded 361
- Shortness of breath 340
- Feeling sick to your stomach 337
- The medicine is not working 1,660
- Feeling tired 1,519
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,395
- Loose, watery stools 1,250
- Difficulty breathing 1,210
This medicine can sometimes cause muscle problems, including rhabdomyolysis (a serious muscle breakdown that can lead to kidney damage). Tell your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel sick. This medicine can also cause liver problems. Your doctor should do blood tests to check your liver before you start taking fluvastatin and while you are taking it.
Lovastatin can cause muscle problems, including muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), which can lead to kidney damage. The risk is higher if you take certain other medicines with lovastatin. You should not take lovastatin if you have liver problems or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
You should not take fluvastatin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. This medicine can harm an unborn baby. If you are a woman who could become pregnant, use effective birth control while taking fluvastatin.
You should not take lovastatin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It can harm your unborn baby. If you are a woman who could become pregnant, use effective birth control while taking lovastatin.
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How to Read This fluvastatin vs lovastatin Comparison
fluvastatin is classified in the HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) drug class, while lovastatin sits within the HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, fluvastatin has 2,078 submissions while lovastatin has 7,034. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between fluvastatin and lovastatin — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.