Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Livalo (pitavastatin) is the newest statin to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat high cholesterol.

As with other statin drugs, Lavalo is meant for people in whom diet and exercise fail to lower cholesterol, the agency said in a news release. Statins do this mostly by curbing the liver's ability to produce an enzyme called HMG Co-A reductase.

Livalo was approved based on the results of five clinical studies that compared its safety and effectiveness to three other statins. The most common side effects reported among Livalo users were pain in the muscles, joints, and back, and constipation.

Livalo is produced by Montgomery, Ala.-based Kowa Pharmaceuticals America Inc.