Advicor

Advicor can cause abnormalities in the blood. If you are scheduled for surgery, your doctor will have you stop taking Advicor a few days before the operation.

Tell your doctor if you are taking any nutritional supplements that contain niacin.

Advicor is not recommended for children.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Advicor

Avoid drinking large amounts of grapefruit juice (more than a quart a day) while on Advicor therapy. It can increase the risk of muscle wasting.

If Advicor is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Advicor with any of the following:

• Antifungal drugs such as itraconazole and ketoconazole
• Blood pressure medications such as atenolol, metoprolol tartrate, and propranolol hydrochloride
• Calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine besylate, felodipine, and nifedipine
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs called fibrates such as gemfibrozil
• Cimetidine
• Clarithromycin
• Cyclosporine
• Erythromycin
• HIV protease inhibitors such as nelfinavir mesylate and ritonavir
• Nefazodone
• Nitroglycerin
• Nutritional supplements containing niacin or nicotinamide
• Spironolactone
• Warfarin

Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Developing babies need plenty of cholesterol, so cholesterol-lowering drugs should never be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Advicor should be taken by women of childbearing age only if it is very unlikely that they will become pregnant. If you do become pregnant while taking Advicor, stop taking the medication immediately and contact your doctor.

Recommended dosage for Advicor

ADULTS

The usual starting dose of Advicor is one tablet containing 500 milligrams of extended-release niacin and 20 milligrams of lovastatin, taken at bedtime with a low-fat snack. After four weeks, your doctor may increase the dosage if the initial dose has not been effective. The maximum recommended dosage is 2,000 milligrams of extended-release niacin and 40 milligrams of lovastatin.

Overdosage

Any medication taken in excess can have dangerous consequences. If you suspect an overdose, seek medical attention immediately.

• Symptoms of Advicor overdose may include:
  Diarrhea, dizziness, fainting, heartbeat irregularities, indigestion, nausea, severe flushing, vomiting