Does CBD Interact With Lovastatin (Altoprev)?

Similar Medications: CBD & Statins (HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors)

Lovastatin is a type of statin or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. CBD and statin medications all share similar risks for interaction and side effects. It is used for treating high blood cholesterol levels.

Here’s a list of similar medications that share a similar level of risk when combined with CBD:

• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• Pitavastatin (Livalo, Zypitamag)
• Pravastatin (Pravachol)
• Rosuvastatin (Crestor & Ezalor)
• Simvastatin (Zocor)

Is It Safe to Take CBD & Lovastatin (Altoprev) Together?

CBD and lovastatin are unlikely to interact — however, because of the severity of side effects from this medication, it’s wise to avoid using CBD with statins until you’ve spoken with your prescribing doctor. 

Everybody is different, so it’s important for your doctor to look at your individual level of risk by assessing other medications, underlying conditions, and your prescribed dose of lovastatin. 

Is CBD A Viable Alternative to Lovastatin (Altoprev)?

CBD is not a viable alternative to lovastatin. 

CBD has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and may help reduce hyperlipidemia-induced inflammation in the vascular system [1]. It may also help repair some of the damaged blood vessels and cardiovascular structures in the body.

CBD has also been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by inhibiting the formation of some cholesteryl ester in the human fibroblasts and aortic medial cells in the body [2]. 

While CBD has shown promising potential to lower cholesterol levels in the body and reduce the effects of harmful cholesterol on the cardiovascular system, its abilities are not on par with statins like lovastatin. This means CBD isn’t strong enough to treat high cholesterol levels or reduce the risk of a heart attack. 

However, CBD may be a valuable adjunct supplement to use alongside lovastatin for managing high cholesterol and inflammation in the cardiovascular system.

What is Lovastatin (Altoprev)?

Lovastatin is a 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor. It belongs to the statin class and is used to lower the risks of cardiovascular diseases. It’s often used to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction or stroke. Altoprev is one of its commonly used brands of lovastatin, but there are others as well. 

Lovastatin is an FDA-approved drug. It’s available as a prescription-only drug in most countries.  

Lovastatin (Altoprev) Specs:

What Does Lovastatin (Altoprev) do?

Lovastatin is a statin drug that works as an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. It’s used to lower low-density lipoprotein or LDL (commonly called “bad cholesterol”) and increase levels of high-density lipoprotein or HDL (commonly called “good cholesterol”).

Lovastatin is also used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and its associated conditions such as myocardial infarction and stroke, especially in those with moderate to high risk of developing these conditions. 

The active ingredient in lovastatin is a fungal metabolite derived synthetically from Aspergillus terreus. It works by inhibiting the endogenous production of cholesterol in the liver.

The drug works by competitively inhibiting the enzyme hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. This reductase enzyme catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonic acid. This conversion is the third step to produce several compounds involved in lipid metabolism and transport including LDL, and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). Lovastatin stops this step, thus reducing the formation of these potentially harmful cholesterols. It also inhibits hepatic synthesis of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). 

Therapeutic doses of lovastatin are designed to preserve some HMG-CoA reductase activity. If this enzyme is blocked completely, it can interfere with normal functioning and can be fatal if blocked for too long.

While lovastatin is an effective drug to control cholesterol levels, it alone cannot ensure the proper health condition of the user. Hence, it should be given alongside a proper implementation of a minimum cholesterol diet. 

The effects of lovastatin become visible within two weeks of use, and the maximum effects occur within 4-6 weeks. 

Lovastatin also has vasculoprotective abilities, which include improving the functions of endothelium, better stability of atherosclerotic plaques, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, and inhibiting thrombus formation.

Side Effects of Lovastatin (Altoprev)

Lovastatin can cause myopathy, which manifests as muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. It can cause rhabdomyolysis with or without acute renal failure — a life-threatening condition.

This medication is contraindicated in users with hypersensitivity to lovastatin, acute liver disease, patients using drugs such as CYP3A4 inhibitors and CYP3A4 inducers. It isn’t safe to take while pregnant.  

Side Effects of Lovastatin (Altoprev)

• Abdominal pain
• Blurred vision
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation
• Dark-colored urine
• Dermatomyositis
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Dyspepsia
• Fever
• Flatulence
• Hepatotoxicity
• Increased liver function tests
• Interstitial lung disease
• Jaundice, yellowing of the skin or eyes
• loss of appetite
• Memory loss 
• Muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness
• Myalgia
• Myopathy
• Nausea
• Rash
• Rhabdomyolysis
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Weakness

Key Takeaways: Is it Safe to Take Lovastatin (Altoprev) With CBD?

CBD may compete against lovastatin by affecting its metabolism.

Do not take these two without consulting your doctor first. While chances of interaction are slim, the severity of side effects is a cause for concern.

CBD’s ability to fight inflammation and decrease the bad cholesterol level may allow it to be a useful adjunct alongside lovastatin. Some users report a reduction in side effects from lovastatin, such as myopathy, by taking CBD alongside lovastatin.

References

1. Stanley, C. P., Hind, W. H., & O’Sullivan, S. E. (2013). Is the cardiovascular system a therapeutic target for cannabidiol?. British journal of clinical pharmacology, 75(2), 313-322. 
2. Rimmerman, N., Juknat, A., Kozela, E., Levy, R., Bradshaw, H. B., & Vogel, Z. (2011). The non-psychoactive plant cannabinoid, cannabidiol, affects cholesterol metabolism-related genes in microglial cells. Cellular and molecular neurobiology, 31(6), 921-930.