Baycol

Generic name: Cerivastatin
Drug class: Statins

Usage of Baycol

Baycol was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2001.

Baycol blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body.

Baycol is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol in your blood. Baycol also reduces the amounts of triglycerides (another type of fat) and apolipoprotein B (a protein needed to make cholesterol) in your blood and increases the amount of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood. These actions are important in reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

Baycol may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Baycol side effects

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking Baycol and call your doctor immediately:

an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);

muscle aches, pain, or weakness;

a fever;

"flu-like" symptoms;

decreased urine or rust-colored urine;

blurred vision; or

yellowing of your skin or eyes.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take Baycol and talk to your doctor if you experience

gas, bloating, nausea, stomach upset, heartburn, abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea;

dizziness;

headache; or

a rash.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Before taking Baycol

Do not take Baycol without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease.

Before taking Baycol, tell your doctor if you

drink alcoholic beverages,

have kidney disease,

have a chronic muscular disease, or

have seizures or epilepsy.

You may not be able to take Baycol, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Baycol is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that Baycol will cause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy. Cholesterol is very important for the proper development of a baby. Do not take Baycol if you are pregnant or are planning a pregnancy. Baycol passes into breast milk and can harm a nursing infant. Do not take Baycol if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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Warnings

Baycol was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2001.

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if it is accompanied by a fever or flu-like symptoms or yellowing of your skin or eyes. Do not take Baycol without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease. Alcohol and Baycol can both damage your liver. Discuss with your doctor the amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Baycol is the best choice for lowering your cholesterol. Do not take Baycol if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy, or if you are breast-feeding a baby.

What other drugs will affect Baycol

Do not take Baycol without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);

Gemfibrozil (Lopid), clofibrate (Atromid-S), or Fenofibrate (Tricor);

niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Slo-Niacin, others);

erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, others) or clarithromycin (Biaxin); or

itraconazole (Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan), or ketoconazole (Nizoral).

The medications listed above may interact with Baycol and damage your muscles. Generally, these medicines are not used together.

Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Baycol. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.