This can be life-threatening if not recognised and treated in time, so any unexplained muscle pain or weakness whilst on lovastatin should be promptly mentioned to the prescribing doctor. Other uncommon side effects that should be promptly mentioned to either the prescribing doctor or an emergency medical service include:

These less serious side effects should still be reported if they persist or increase in severity:

Contraindications
Contraindications, conditions that warrant withholding treatment with lovastatin, include pregnancy, breast feeding, and liver disease. Lovastatin is contraindicated during pregnancy (Pregnancy Category X); it may cause birth defects such as skeletal deformities or learning disabilities. Owing to its potential to disrupt infant lipid metabolism, lovastatin should not be taken while breastfeeding. Patients with liver disease should not take lovastatin. Interactions
As with atorvastatin, simvastatin, and other statin drugs metabolized via CYP3A4, drinking grapefruit juice during lovastatin therapy may increase the risk of side effects. Components of grapefruit juice, the flavonoid naringin, or the furanocoumarin bergamottin inhibit CYP3A4 in vitro, and may account for the in vivo effect of grapefruit juice concentrate decreasing the metabolic clearance of lovastatin, and increasing its plasma concentrations. Mechanism of action
Lovastatin is an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase), an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate. Mevalonate is a required building block for cholesterol biosynthesis and lovastatin interferes with its production by acting as a reversible competitive inhibitor for HMG-CoA, which binds to the HMG-CoA reductase.
Although it is unclear as to how gas formation occurs in emphysematous cystitis, its dependent on whether or not the patient has contributing diseases. Gas formation in diabetic patients diagnosed with Emphysematous cystitis has been determined to occur due to the production of carbon dioxide as a result of the fermentation of the high concentrations of glucose. Gas formation in nondiabetic patients is most likely due to the breaking down of urinary lactulose and tissue proteins. Inflammation caused by infection increases pressure and decreases circulation, which provides the perfect environment for bacteria to produce gas. References
Further reading


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