mevacor

Foods & drinks to be careful with

Well-established interactions for this medicine’s drug class, summarized from public health authorities. General information, not medical advice — always confirm with your pharmacist or the label.

• Grapefruit & grapefruit juice

  Watch out for: grapefruit and grapefruit juice (and, for some drugs, Seville oranges).

  Grapefruit blocks a gut enzyme (CYP3A4) that normally breaks this medicine down, so more of it can enter your blood — raising the risk of side effects.

  What to do: Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice with this medicine unless your pharmacist or the label says it's fine — check, because not every drug in a class is affected the same way.

  Source: Grapefruit Juice and Some Drugs Don't Mix — U.S. FDA

Frequently asked questions

What does Mevacor treat?

Mevacor (Lovastatin) may be used to treat coronary artery disease, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipoproteinemias, hypertriglyceridemia, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.

How does Mevacor work?

Mevacor is a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. Statins block HMG-CoA reductase, the key enzyme the liver uses to make cholesterol. With less cholesterol being produced, the liver pulls more LDL ("bad") cholesterol out of the blood, lowering overall blood cholesterol levels.

How is Mevacor rated?

pharmaranks gives Mevacor a composite score of 3.5 out of 5, currently based on 1 weighted source (FDA regulatory recall-safety data weighted highest). See our methodology at /how-we-rate.

How much does Mevacor cost?

Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $1.30 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins. Pharmacies pay less for a same-class option, Atorvaliq — about $0.92 on the same basis.

Is there a coupon or discount for Mevacor?

pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Mevacor. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.

Who makes Mevacor?

Mevacor is marketed by Merck. You can see Merck's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.

Is Mevacor a brand-name or generic drug?

Mevacor is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Lovastatin. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Lovastatin are available — ask your pharmacist.

Is Mevacor available over the counter?

No. Mevacor is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.

What forms does Mevacor come in?

Mevacor is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.

What class of drug is Mevacor?

Mevacor is classified as hmg-coa reductase inhibitor, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.

Is Mevacor FDA-registered?

Mevacor is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA019643. You can verify this on its official FDA label.

Has Mevacor been recalled by the FDA?

Mevacor has no FDA recalls recorded under its own application in the openFDA enforcement database. Its recall-safety score reflects its manufacturer's overall recall record. This is general reference, not medical advice — check the FDA recall database for the latest alerts.

Is Mevacor safe?

There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Mevacor a recall-safety score of 70/100, based on its FDA recall history (no recalls under its own FDA application) — not an efficacy or side-effect rating. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings before use, and always consult a licensed professional.