Health Centres - Lipostat
How does it work?
Lipostat contains the active ingredient pravastatin sodium, which is a type of medicine called a statin. It works by reducing the production of cholesterol by the liver.
For the sake of simplicity, there are two sorts of cholesterol in the blood; a 'bad' sort called low density lipoprotein (LDL) and a 'good' sort called high density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is deposited in the arteries and increases the risk of heart disease by clogging and narrowing the arteries, while HDL actually protects the arteries against this.
Pravastatin decreases the production of LDL cholesterol by blocking the action of the enzyme in the liver (called HMG-CoA reductase) that is responsible for its production. This decreases the amount of cholesterol in the liver cells, causing them to take up LDL cholesterol from the blood. The decreased cholesterol production and increased removal of LDL cholesterol from the blood ultimately results in lowered blood cholesterol levels.
Pravastatin also causes a small decrease in the production of other 'bad fats' in the blood called triglycerides, and a small increase in the level of HDL cholesterol. This results in lowered levels of 'bad fats' and raised levels of 'good fats' in the blood.
As the body produces most cholesterol at night, statins are generally more effective if taken at night.
Pravastatin is prescribed to lower high blood levels of cholesterol (primary hypercholesterolaemia) and other fats (mixed dyslipidaemia) if these cannot be lowered by diet and exercise alone. However, it is important to continue to follow a cholesterol-lowering diet and exercise regime while taking pravastatin.
Lowering cholesterol levels reduces the risk of cholesterol being deposited in the blood vessels. This process is known as atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. If it occurs in the major blood vessels of the heart it can reduce the blood and oxygen supply to the heart, causing angina. It can ultimately block the arteries supplying blood and oxygen to the heart, causing a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Pravastatin therefore has an important role in preventing illness and death from heart disease.
Pravastatin has also been shown to reduce illness and death from heart disease and stroke in people who have already had a heart attack or unstable angina. In these cases pravastatin is beneficial even for people whose cholesterol levels are normal or only slightly raised.
What is it used for?
- Lowering genetically high blood cholesterol levels in children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years of age
- Preventing illness and death from heart disease in people with high cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolaemia) and high risk of heart disease
- Preventing further illness and death from heart disease in people who have already had a heart attack or unstable angina and have normal or raised cholesterol levels
- Reducing cholesterol levels in people who have had an organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressant medicines
Warning!
- You should continue eating a cholesterol-lowering diet during treatment with this medicine, and not use it as a substitute for eating healthily and exercising regularly. Discuss this with your doctor.
- You should have blood tests to monitor your liver function (liver function tests) before starting treatment and regularly throughout treatment with this medicine.
- This medicine may be harmful to the development of an unborn baby. It must not be used by pregnant women. Women who could get pregnant should ensure they use effective contraception to avoid falling pregnant while taking this medicine.
- This medicine may very rarely have side effects on the muscles. For this reason you should inform your doctor immediately if you experience any muscular symptoms such as pain, tenderness, cramps, or weakness while taking this medicine, particularly if it is accompanied by a fever or feeling generally unwell. Your doctor may need to check for side effects on the muscles by taking a blood test to measure the level of a compound called creatinine kinase in your blood. If this is the case, the test should not be done following strenuous exercise.
- This medicine is not recommended for children under 18 years of age, except for treating familial hypercholesterolaemia. It should not be used in children under 8 years of age for this purpose.
Use with caution in
- Decreased kidney function
- History of liver disease
- History of heavy alcohol consumption
-
Hypothyroidism
- History of muscular side effects during previous treatment with a statin or fibrate medicine
- Personal or family history of hereditary muscle disorders
- People aged over 70 years
- Pre-pubescent children
Not to be used in
- Pregnancy
-
Breastfeeding
- Active liver disease
- People with unexplained raised results in liver function tests
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
- This medicine should not be used during pregnancy as it may be harmful to the development of the unborn baby. Women who could get pregnant should use effective contraception to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine. If you do get pregnant during treatment you should stop taking this medicine and consult your doctor immediately. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
- This medicine passes into breast milk and women taking this medicine should therefore not breastfeed their infants. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Visual disturbances
- Disturbances of the gut such as indigestion, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, flatulence
- Skin reactions such as rash and itch
- Increased urination
- Sexual problems
- Fatigue
- Pain in the muscles or joints (myalgia or arthralgia)
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Alteration in results of liver function tests
- Pins and needles (paraesthesia)
- Liver disorders
- Muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis)
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
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