Dr. Ogbru received his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy in 1995. He completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at the University of Arizona/University Medical Center in 1996. He was a Professor of Pharmacy Practice and a Regional Clerkship Coordinator for the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy from 1996-99.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Advicor is an oral drug that
is used for lowering cholesterol levels. It is a combination of extended-release
niacin and lovastatin. It reduces blood levels of total cholesterol, low density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides and increases blood levels of
high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. For
further information, please see the individual monographs for niacin and lovastatin
.
PRESCRIPTION: Yes.
GENERIC AVAILABLE: No.
PREPARATIONS: Tablets: 500/20 and 1000/20 mg niacin/mg lovastatin
STORAGE: Store at room
temperature between 20-25°C (68-77°F).
PRESCRIBED FOR: Advicor is used for treating elevated blood levels of total
cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and triglycerides, and for raising low
levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol.
DOSING: The recommended
starting dose for Advicor is one tablet
(500/20 mg). Doses can be increased by 500 mg of niacin every 4 weeks based on
the response of the blood cholesterol level. Doses greater than 2000/40 mg are
not recommended. Individuals already stabilized on niacin extended-release
tablets can be directly switched to the niacin equivalent dose of Advicor.
Individuals taking extended-release niacin and lovastatin separately can be
switched to an equivalent dose of Advicor. Other forms of niacin (e.g.,
sustained-release, timed-release or immediate-release) are not equivalent to
extended-release niacin in Advicor. Therefore, Advicor is not interchangeable
with these niacin preparations, and patients taking these preparations should be
switched and stabilized on extended-release niacin before switching to Advicor.
Advicor should be administered at bedtime since there is evidence that at
least some drugs in the same class as lovastatin lower cholesterol more when
taken at night than in the morning. If Advicor causes nausea it may be taken
with a snack. If Advicor is discontinued for longer than 7 days, therapy should
be resumed at the lowest dose.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Please
see the individual monographs for niacin and lovastatin
.
PREGNANCY: Advicor should not be administered to pregnant women because
lovastatin can be harmful to the fetus. Niacin has not been evaluated in
pregnant women at doses used for treating levels of cholesterol and
triglycerides.
Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases such as gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood flow obstruction to the liver, and toxins (medications and chemicals). Symptoms of liver disease depends upon the cause; however, common symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, and jaundice. Treatment depends upon the cause of the liver disease.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Cholesterol is naturally produced by the body, and is a building block for cell membranes and hormones. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol, conversely, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol. High cholesterol treatment includes lifestyle changes (diet and exercise), and medications such as statins, bile acid resins, and fibric acid derivatives.
Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary
artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical
instability of the heart.
Heart attacks are the major causes of unexpected, sudden death among men and women. A heart attack is also a significant cause of heart failure. Learn the risk factors for heart attack such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other heart conditions. Lowering your risk factor, lifestyle changes, and in some cases medication are the most effective way of preventing a heart attack.
Cholesterol occurs naturally in the body. High blood cholesterol levels increase a person's risk of developing heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, TIAs, and more. In addition to medication (fibrates, statins, bile acid sequestrants, and niacin), lifestyle changes can be made to lower blood cholesterol levels
A heart attack (also known as a myocardial infarction) is the death of heart muscle from the sudden blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen,causing injury to the heart muscle. Injury to the heart muscle causes chest pain
and chest pressure sensation. If blood flow is not restored to the heart muscle within 20 to 40 minutes, irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin to occur. Muscle continues to
die for six to eight hours at which time the heart attack usually is "complete." The dead heart muscle is eventually replaced by scar tissue.
Approximately one million Americans suffer a heart attack each year. Four hundred thousand of them die as a result of their heart attack.
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