Side Effects:

Common Headache, Stomach pain, Constipation, Feeling sick, Muscle pain, Weakness, Dizziness, Increased glucose level in blood.

Expert advice for Avas Tablet
Avas lowers "bad" cholesterol (LDL). It helps prevent heart attack and stroke. Regular exercise and low-fat diet further help to lower levels of fat in the blood. Avas prevents one death in every 50 patients with heart disease treated over 4 to 5 years. In general, Avas is safe. It may cause digestive problems like diarrhoea, gas. If any of these happen to you, take it with food. It is better to take in the evening. Notify your doctor if you are more tired than usual, do not feel hungry, or if you have yellow eyes, skin or dark urine. Notify your doctor if you experience muscle symptoms (pain or weakness), particularly if you have fever, a sick feeling or dark urine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What should I know about high cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat present in your blood. Your total cholesterol is made up of LDL and HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is called “bad” cholesterol as it can build up in the wall of your blood vessels and slow or obstruct blood flow to your heart, brain, and other organs. This can cause heart diseases and stroke. HDL cholesterol is called “good” cholesterol as it prevents the bad cholesterol from building up in the blood vessels. Triglycerides also are harmful fats found in your blood.

Q. Is Avas used for lowering cholesterol?
Avas belongs to a group of medicines known as statins, which are lipid (fat) lowering medicines. It is used to lower lipids known as cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood when a low-fat diet and lifestyle changes on their own have failed. If you are at an increased risk of heart disease, Avas can also be used to reduce such risk even if your cholesterol levels are normal. You should maintain a standard cholesterol-lowering diet during treatment.

Q. Is Avas diuretic?
Avas is not a diuretic. It is a lipid lowering agent which belongs to a group of medicines known as statins.

Q. Is Avas better than simvastatin and pravastatin?
Avas, simvastatin, and pravastatin belong to the same category of medications with similar action and similar side effects, but their effect may vary upon individual response. Always consult your doctor regarding its use.

Q. Can the use of Avas cause diabetes?
Diabetes has not been reported as a side effect of Avas. However, it may increase your blood sugar levels. So, it is very important that you monitor your blood sugar levels regularly if you are taking Avas. Also, share with your doctor if you have diabetes mellitus and you are advised to take Avas as your doctor will monitor you while you are taking this medicine.

Q. Can Avas lower the level of triglycerides?
Avas belongs to a group of medicines known as statins, which are lipid (fat) lowering medicines. Avas is used to lower lipids known as cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood when a low-fat diet and lifestyle changes on their own have failed.

Q. Does Avas cause weight loss?
Avas has not been reported to cause weight loss. However, weight gain has been reported as an uncommon side effect. Please consult your doctor if you experience weight loss while you are taking Avas.

Q. Does Avas cause erectile dysfunction?
Avas can cause erectile dysfunction although this side effect is not very clear. Please consult your doctor if you experience erectile dysfunction while you are taking Avas.

Q. Does Avas cause diarrhea?
Diarrhea is a common side effect of Avas. Please consult your doctor if you experience diarrhea after taking Avas as the dose of your medicine may need to be changed.

Q. Does Avas cause memory loss?
Loss of memory is an uncommon side effect of Avas, which may affect up to 1 in 100 people. Please consult your doctor if you experience any symptoms of memory loss after taking Avas.

Q. Does Avas cause frequent urination?
Avas has not been reported to cause frequent urination. Please consult your doctor if you experience increased urinary frequency after taking Avas.

Q. Does Avas cause high blood pressure?
Avas has not been reported to cause high blood pressure. Please consult your doctor if you experience any symptoms of high blood pressure while taking Avas.

Q. Is Avas a blood thinner?
Avas is not a blood thinner. Avas is a lipid lowering agent which belongs to a group of medicines known as statins.

Q. Is Avas safe to take?
Avas is safe if used at prescribed doses for the prescribed duration as advised by your doctor.

Q. Is Avas a beta blocker?
Avas is not a beta blocker. Avas is a lipid lowering agent which belongs to a group of medicines known as statins.

Q. Is Avas a controlled substance?
Avas is not a controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act (CSA). Controlled substances are drugs that are strictly regulated to reduce the risk of abuse and illegal distribution. To determine the level of restriction placed on a particular controlled substance, five different categories (or "Schedules") are used. A controlled substance will belong to Schedule I, II, III, IV, or V, with Schedule V being the least restricted.

Q. Is Avas an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitor?
Avas is not an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. Avas is a lipid lowering agent which belongs to a group of medicines known as statins.

Q. Can I take Avas with metformin?
Avas can be taken with metformin. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between the two. However, interactions can occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Avas with ibuprofen?
Avas can be taken with ibuprofen. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between the two. However, interactions can occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Avas with milk?
No information is available for the use of Avas with milk. However, it can be taken any time of the day, with or without food. Please consult your doctor.

Q. Can I take Avas with fenofibrate?
Both fenofibrate and Avas have similar effects and they may increase the effects of each other. Fenofibrate may also increase side effects like risk for rhabdomyolysis (condition in which damaged skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly). Monitoring is required when these two drugs are taken together. Please consult your doctor before taking these two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Avas with levothyroxine?
Avas can be taken with levothyroxine. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between the two. However, interactions can occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Avas with amlodipine?
Avas can be taken with amlodipine. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between the two. However, interactions can occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Avas with erythromycin?
Erythromycin can increase the level or effect of Avas by decreasing its breakdown which may lead to increased side effects like muscle weakness (myopathy). So, close monitoring is required when these two drugs are taken together. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Avas with metronidazole?
Metronidazole can increase the level or effect of Avas by decreasing its breakdown which may lead to increased side effects like muscle weakness (myopathy) with Avas. So, close monitoring is required when these two drugs are taken together. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Can I take Avas with clarithromycin?
Clarithromycin can increase the level or effect of Avas by decreasing its breakdown which may lead to increased side effects like muscle weakness (myopathy) with Avas. So, close monitoring is required when these two drugs are taken together. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.

Q. Does Avas cause gas?
Flatulence (gas or wind) is one of the common side effects associated with the use of Avas. If you have any such symptom while taking the drug, consult your doctor.

Q. Does Avas lower blood pressure?
Avas is a lipid-lowering drug used in the treatment of increased cholesterol levels and for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. However, a meta-analysis of different clinical trial shows that Avas has a small blood pressure lowering effect.

Q. Does Avas affect the liver?
Avas is associated rarely with hepatobiliary disorders. Its use is also linked with abnormal liver function test and hence a periodic test of the liver functions is recommended.

Q. Does Avas cause itching?
Avas use has been associated with urticaria (itching) and skin rash. If you experience any such symptom while using the drug, consult your doctor.

Q. Does Avas thin blood?
Avas is not a blood-thinner. It is a lipid-lowering agent and acts by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase enzyme.

Q. What is Avas?
Avas is a lipid-lowering drug which belongs to group of medications called statins (lipid-lowering agents) or HMG CoA reductase inhibitors. It acts by blocking the enzyme HMG CoA reductase and formation of cholesterol, thus, lowering the blood lipid levels.