Livazo, 28 pcs., 2 mg, film-coated tablets

Livazo, 28 pcs., 2 mg, film-coated tablets

Effect on muscle tissue

As with the use of other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), there is a possibility of developing myalgia, myopathy, etc. in rare cases, rhabdomyolysis. Patients should be warned to report any muscle symptoms. CPK activity should be determined in any patient reporting muscle pain, muscle tenderness or weakness, especially if accompanied by malaise or fever.

CPK activity should not be determined after physical exercise or in the presence of any other possible reasons for the increase in CPK that may distort the result. If CPK activity increases (5 times higher than ULN), a control analysis should be performed within 5–7 days.

Very rare cases of immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IONM) have been reported during treatment or when discontinuing statins. IONM clinically manifests itself in the form of persistent weakness of the proximal muscles and increased CPK activity in the blood serum, which persist despite the abolition of statins.

Before treatment

Like all statins, Livazo should be prescribed with caution to patients with predisposing factors for the development of rhabdomyolysis. CPK activity should be determined to establish a reference baseline value in the following cases:

- renal failure,

- hypothyroidism,

- personal or family history of hereditary muscle diseases,

- previous history of muscle toxicity during treatment with fibrates or other statins,

- a history of liver disease or alcohol abuse,

- patients over 70 years of age with other predisposing risk factors for the development of rhabdomyolysis.

In such cases, clinical monitoring is recommended and the risk of treatment should be considered in relation to the potential benefit. Treatment with Livazo cannot be started if CPK activity is 5 times higher than the ULN.

During treatment

The patient should be advised to immediately report muscle pain, weakness or cramps to the doctor. CPK activity should be determined, and treatment should be stopped if CPK activity is elevated (5 times the ULN). Discontinuation of treatment should be considered if severe muscle symptoms occur, even if CPK activity does not exceed 5 times the ULN. When symptoms resolve and CPK activity returns to normal, re-prescribing Livazo at a dose of 1 mg may be considered, subject to careful monitoring.

Effects on the liver

Like all statins, Livazo should be prescribed with caution to patients with a history of liver disease or to patients who regularly drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Before starting treatment with Livazo and then periodically during treatment, liver function tests should be performed. Patients with a persistent increase in the activity of “liver” transaminases (ALT and AST), exceeding ULN by 3 times, should stop treatment with Livazo.

Effects on the kidneys

Livazo should be administered with caution to patients with moderate or severe renal impairment. The dose should be increased only with careful monitoring. The 4 mg dose is not recommended for patients with severe renal impairment.

Diabetes

Some evidence suggests that statins, as a class, increase blood glucose levels, increasing the risk of developing diabetes mellitus in the future, and in some patients at high risk of developing diabetes mellitus, may lead to a level of hyperglycemia at which formal treatment becomes indicated. diabetes mellitus However, this danger is outweighed by the reduction in vascular risk with statin treatment and should therefore not be a reason to discontinue statin treatment. Patients at risk of developing hyperglycemia (fasting glucose concentration from 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/l, body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2, elevated TG concentrations, arterial hypertension) require clinical and biochemical monitoring in accordance with national guidelines. recommendations. However, based on the results of both post-marketing observations to assess safety and prospective studies, no confirmed signals were identified regarding the risk of diabetes mellitus with the use of pitavastatin.

Interstitial lung diseases

Rare cases of interstitial lung disease have been reported with the use of some statins, especially with long-term therapy.

Observed clinical signs include shortness of breath, nonproductive cough, and deterioration in general health (fatigue, weight loss, and fever). If interstitial lung disease is suspected, statin therapy should be discontinued.

Impact on the ability to drive vehicles and machinery

Caution must be exercised when driving vehicles or performing other work that requires increased attention, as undesirable reactions such as dizziness and drowsiness may develop.

Active substance and indications for use

The active ingredient of the drug Livazo is pitavastatin - this component is a lipid-lowering agent designed to reduce the production of its own “bad” cholesterol in the human body. Livazo is a prominent representative of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins); this group of drugs is prescribed to almost all patients with high cholesterol in the blood.

Indications for use of Livazo:

• primary hypercholesterolemia (increased cholesterol levels in the blood, recorded for the first time, without linking the pathology to concomitant diseases);
• hereditary hypercholesterolemia (to reduce low-density lipoproteins in the blood).

This drug is also prescribed in cases where it is not possible to reduce cholesterol in patients on a diet or performing therapeutic exercises.

Livazo is produced by the manufacturer in three dosages:

• 1 mg – contains 1.045 mg of pitavastatin calcium (corresponding to 1 mg of pitavastatin);
• 2 mg – includes 2.090 mg pitavastatin calcium (corresponding to 2 mg pitavastatin);
• 4 mg – pitavastatin calcium content 4.180 mg (equivalent to 4 mg pitavastatin).

Tablets in all three dosages are film-coated, they are painted white, have a round shape, on one side there is an engraving of KS, and on the other - the volume of the active substance, indicated by the numbers 1,2,3 (respectively 1 mg, 2 mg, 4 mg ).

According to the official instructions for use of Livazo from the manufacturer, the tablets should be taken orally without chewing first and without coordinating the time of administration with food. The drug is taken once a day, it is advisable to take the tablets at the same time to achieve maximum effect

Cross interaction

During the period of use of pitavastatin, it is necessary to take into account the use of drugs that were previously recommended to the patient to eliminate signs of concomitant diseases. Below is a list of pharmacological groups with which you must be careful when interacting with Livazo:

• Cyclosporine - simultaneous use of statins is prohibited due to a sharp increase in AUC;
• Erythromycin and other macrolide antibiotics give the same reaction as taking statins while taking Cyclosporine, so they cannot be used;
• fibrates – simultaneous therapy with statins leads to the development of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis with severe muscle damage (requires selection of the correct dose and caution);
• Niacin and fusidic acid also lead to the formation of gross disorders of muscle tissue;
• Rifampicin and protease inhibitors - reduce the absorption of pitavastatin by liver tissue;
• Warfarin - when taken simultaneously with Livazo 4 mg, monitoring of prothrombin time is necessary.

Drugs such as Digoxin, inhibitors of CYP3A4, OATP1B1 do not affect the concentration of pitavastatin in the blood, so their use simultaneously with Livazo is allowed by doctors.

Note!

Description of the drug Livazo table. p/o 2mg No. 100 on this page is a simplified author’s version of the apteka911 website, created on the basis of the instructions for use.
Before purchasing or using the drug, you should consult your doctor and read the manufacturer's original instructions (attached to each package of the drug). Information about the drug is provided for informational purposes only and should not be used as a guide to self-medication. Only a doctor can decide to prescribe the drug, as well as determine the dose and methods of its use.

Instructions for use

Therapy with statin drugs requires mandatory adherence to a diet with a reduced amount of plant-based fats in the diet. When using Livazo, preference should be given to plant foods, cereals, grains, vegetables and fruits.

It is necessary to give up table salt and sugar or reduce the amount of their consumption. Prohibited foods are fatty meats and fish, bread, carbonated drinks, baked goods, spicy, over-salted, smoked foods. The dosage of pitavastatin per day required for a particular patient is selected in accordance with the test results.

The patient buys Livazo at the pharmacy exclusively in the dose recommended by the attending doctor. Initially, the patient is prescribed tablets at a dosage of 1 mg, adjusting the recommendation over the next 4 weeks. Practice shows that for most people with elevated blood cholesterol levels, the best option is to take Livazo 2 mg once a day.

Analogues of the drug

If for some reason it is impossible to prescribe pitavastatin to a patient, you can select analogues of Livazo, which are also in the statin group:

• Crestor is a drug belonging to the statin group, based on the active substance rosuvastine (available in dosages of 10, 20 and 40 mg);
• Simvastatin – tablets based on simvastatin, available in the form of 10 and 20 mg dosages;
• Lescol is a drug whose active component is fluvastatin sodium. Sold in the form of capsules containing 21.06 and 42.12 mg of active ingredient;
• Lipobay - tablets consisting of cerivastatin sodium in a dose of 0.2 or 0.4 mg;
• Pravastatin – includes the same name (pravastatin) as the main substance;
• Liprimar is a product containing atorvastatin in dosages of 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg.

Preparations with a similar composition that can replace Livazo

Each of the listed drugs has its own contraindications and side effects, which is why you cannot independently replace Livazo with analogues. Only a specialist can evaluate the medications already taken by the patient, knows the medical history and examination results, and is able to recommend one or another substitute.

Contraindications and side effects

Statins are a group of drugs that have a large number of side effects, which is why their independent use is unacceptable. Patients often complain about the following negative effects of Livazo:

• headache;
• nausea, urge to vomit, disturbances in stool stability (alternating constipation and diarrhea);
• pain in muscles and joints, myalgia;
• drowsiness or, conversely, insomnia;
• slight loss of taste;
• general malaise.

With long-term therapy with statins, some patients experience ringing in the ears, swelling on the body, and allergic-type rashes on the skin. The level of hemoglobin in the blood may decrease and the volume of transaminases may increase.

The rarest side effects of Livazo include impaired liver function, the development of acute pancreatitis, significant deterioration in memory and visual function, and a tendency to depression and psychosis. In isolated cases, patients taking statins have experienced nightmares, decreased libido, and loss of sexual function.

You should not take statin drugs, including Livazo, if you have the following health problems:

Doctor Myasnikov’s opinion on the benefits and harms of statins

• liver diseases occurring in acute form or their chronic forms in the acute stage;
• special sensitivity to the drug group statins and their active ingredients;
• galactose intolerance (including those having a hereditary etiology);
• malabsorption syndrome;
• simultaneous use of drugs from the cephalosporin group;
• myopathy.

Statins are not prescribed to patients under 18 years of age, as well as to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding a newborn child. If Livazo is recommended for use by a woman of childbearing age, she must take oral contraceptives so that an unexpected pregnancy does not occur during statin therapy.

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How the drug works

The active substance of the drug Livazo pitavastatin slows down the rate of production of HMG-CoA reductase, thereby reducing the amount of cholesterol produced by liver tissue. As a result, receptors that produce low-density lipoproteins in the liver are activated, and the amount of total cholesterol in the blood plasma decreases.

Pitavastatin is well absorbed by intestinal tissues, and its bioavailability is 51%. After taking a tablet in a dosage of 1, 2 or 4 mg, the maximum concentration of the substance in the blood plasma is observed after 60 minutes. The absorption efficiency of Livazo is not associated with food intake. According to medical statistics, when pitavastatin was taken orally and at the same time consumed fatty foods, the concentration of the substance in the blood decreased to 43%.

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Reviews

It should be noted that the majority of patients who were prescribed the drug Livazo, and doctors who work with these tablets, leave only positive reviews. Doctors prescribe pitavastatin due to the quickly onset effect of administration and the good tolerability of Livazo in most patients. Naturally, before prescribing tablets, a complete examination is necessary, and during therapy, monitoring of body functions and blood counts is necessary.

Svetlana, 54 years old: When the doctor prescribed me Livazo 2 mg tablets, I started reading information about them on medical websites. I was afraid of a lot of side effects. But in fact, my body tolerated the pills well, especially since I need to take them once a day. At the same time, I followed a diet that I still maintain today. After 2 months, my blood cholesterol levels dropped and I began to feel much better.

Olga, 48 years old: Livazo tablets were prescribed to me by my doctor after my blood cholesterol rose sharply due to excess weight. At the same time, I was prescribed therapeutic exercise sessions, a diet and walks in the evenings. Now I try to eat healthy food, provide myself with physical activity, and take Livazo 2 mg once a day. The last time I took tests, the doctor said that there were significant improvements.

Vasily, 56 years old: I really like Livazo, it gives results within a month. You feel much better, and the doctor says that tests confirm progress in therapy. One disadvantage of the tablets is their high cost for me. But my sister, who lives in Germany, says that Livazo is a very effective drug; it has been widespread among them for 10–15 years. Therefore, I follow the doctor’s orders; health is still more expensive than pills.