lovastatin vs niacin
Side-by-side comparison of lovastatin and niacin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
Gemfibrozil Other fibrates Niacin (nicotinic acid) (≥ 1 g/day) Other Drug Interactions Cyclosporine The risk of myopathy/rhabdomyolysis is increased by concomitant administration of cyclosporine (see WARNINGS , Myopathy/Rhabdomyolysis ).
Recommendation: If you take more than one gram of niacin a day, your doctor should monitor you closely for muscle issues.
Mevacor, Altoprev
Niaspan, Slo-Niacin
Lovastatin is a medicine that helps lower cholesterol levels in your blood. It belongs to a class of drugs called statins.
This medicine is a multivitamin with fluoride. It helps prevent tooth decay and provides essential vitamins.
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.
This medicine is for children ages 4 and up who don't get enough fluoride in their drinking water. It helps prevent tooth decay. It also gives you ten important vitamins to avoid vitamin deficiencies.
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.
The fluoride in this medicine strengthens your teeth to protect them from decay. The vitamins help your body work properly and stay healthy.
- • Abdominal pain
- • Constipation
- • Diarrhea
- • Gas
- • Nausea
No common side effects listed.
- Feeling tired 1,519
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,395
- Loose, watery stools 1,250
- Difficulty breathing 1,210
- Feeling lightheaded 1,146
- Feeling tired 749
- Feeling sick to your stomach 671
- Loose stools 630
- Feeling lightheaded 546
- Difficulty breathing 529
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.
There are no serious warnings listed for this medication.
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.
This medication is for children. Consult a doctor for information about vitamin and fluoride supplements during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
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How to Read This lovastatin vs niacin Comparison
lovastatin is classified in the HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) drug class, while niacin sits within the Vitamin B3 (Lipid-Modifying) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, lovastatin has 6,520 submissions while niacin has 3,125. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to using niacin along with lovastatin increases the risk of serious muscle breakdown and pain.. 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 lovastatin and niacin - 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.