Pravastatin oral tablet side effects: A detailed guide

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved pravastatin oral tablet to:

• lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, death due to heart disease, and certain heart procedures in some adults
• slow the progression of atherosclerosis, in adults with heart disease
• treat high cholesterol in adults and some children, together with a diet
• treat high triglyceride levels in adults

This article describes possible side effects of pravastatin oral tablet. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for pravastatin. You can explore this overview article to learn more about pravastatin oral tablet, including the drug’s uses, side effects, and more.

Pravastatin oral tablet is a generic medication. It isn’t available in a brand-name version. 

More common side effects of pravastatin

Pravastatin oral tablet may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.

Commonly reported side effects of pravastatin oral tablet include:

• muscle pain*
• nausea
• vomiting
• common cold symptoms, such as a stuffy or runny nose
• diarrhea

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of pravastatin in detail” section below.

Mild side effects of pravastatin

Pravastatin may cause certain mild side effects. Most often, mild side effects are temporary and can be easily managed. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.

Mild side effects of pravastatin oral tablet that occurred in studies include:

• common cold symptoms, such as a stuffy or runny nose
• a cough
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• headache
• nausea
• skin rash
• vomiting
• muscle pain*
• mild allergic reaction*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of pravastatin in detail” section below.

Pravastatin oral tablet may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.

Serious side effects of pravastatin

Pravastatin may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from pravastatin oral tablet, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.

After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with pravastatin.

Serious side effects of pravastatin oral tablet that occurred in studies include:

• angina (a type of chest pain)
• liver damage*
• severe muscle problems*
• severe allergic reaction*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of pravastatin in detail” section below.

High blood sugar, which may lead to type 2 diabetes, also has been reported with statin drugs. (Pravastatin oral tablet is a statin drug.) However, this side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.

Common questions about side effects of pravastatin

Here are answers to some common questions about side effects of pravastatin oral tablet. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Does pravastatin cause long-term side effects?

Yes, in some cases, pravastatin oral tablet may cause long-term side effects. These can occur if you take the drug for a long time, or they may continue for some time after you stop taking it.

Examples of long-term side effects reported with pravastatin oral tablet include:

• liver damage*
• severe muscle problems*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of pravastatin in detail” section below.

High blood sugar, which may lead to type 2 diabetes, also has been reported with statin drugs. (Pravastatin oral tablet is a statin drug.) However, this side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.

Talk with your doctor to learn more about these side effects and how to manage them. Ask your doctor for more information about how long these side effects of pravastatin may last.

Can pravastatin 20 mg cause fewer side effects than pravastatin 40 mg?

It’s possible. In general, lower doses of a drug tend to cause fewer side effects compared to higher doses. But in studies of pravastatin, there weren’t noticeable differences in how often side effects occurred based on the pravastatin dose used. This includes doses of 20 milligrams (mg) and 40 mg.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about your risk of side effects based on your pravastatin dose.

How long do side effects of pravastatin typically last?

In most cases, mild side effects caused by pravastatin go away within a few hours or days on their own. Rarely, side effects can linger or become bothersome.

If you experience side effects from pravastatin that don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can advise on ways to treat your symptoms. This may include stopping treatment with pravastatin.

Coupon for pravastatin

Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for pravastatin when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs. 

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.

Side effects of pravastatin in detail

Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of pravastatin oral tablet.

Muscle pain

In studies, muscle pain was common in people taking pravastatin oral tablet. This side effect is usually mild, but it may be serious in rare cases.

With muscle pain, you experience aches, discomfort, or pain in your muscles. You may also experience these sensations in your ligaments or tendons.

In most cases, muscle pain caused by pravastatin is mild. However, muscle pain can also be a symptom of rare but severe muscle problems that pravastatin can cause. To learn more, see the “Severe muscle problems” section below.

Certain factors can increase the risk of muscle pain with pravastatin oral tablet. These include:

• using other drugs that can cause muscle pain
• having a kidney condition, such as chronic kidney disease
• being age 65 years or above
• having untreated low thyroid function 

Ways to manage

If you experience symptoms of muscle pain, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend making an appointment so they can evaluate your symptoms. This helps your doctor check whether your symptoms are a sign of more serious muscle problems and determine the best treatment. This may include lowering your dose or stopping treatment with pravastatin.

Severe muscle problems

In studies, severe muscle problems were rare in people using pravastatin oral tablet. This side effect may be serious.

Severe muscle problems reported in people taking pravastatin include:

• myopathy (a muscle disorder that causes muscle weakness, cramps, and pain)
• rhabdomyolysis (a rare condition that causes muscle damage, severe muscle pain, and brown or dark-colored urine)
• immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (a rare condition that causes muscle damage and death and severe muscle weakness throughout the body)

Certain factors can increase the risk of severe muscle problems with pravastatin oral tablet. These include:

• using other drugs that can cause muscle pain
• having a kidney condition, such as chronic kidney disease
• being age 65 years or above
• having untreated low thyroid function

Ways to manage

If you experience symptoms of severe muscle problems, immediately tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend seeking treatment, either at their office or maybe an emergency room. This helps them fully evaluate your symptoms and get you treatment as soon as possible.

If you have symptoms of rhabdomyolysis, immediately seek treatment, such as the closest emergency room. Rhabdomyolysis can result in kidney damage and other severe complications if it’s not treated right away.

Liver damage

In studies, liver damage was rare in people taking pravastatin oral tablet. This side effect may be serious.

Symptoms may include:

• elevated liver enzymes, which frequently don’t cause harm but can be a sign of liver damage
• jaundice (yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes)
• nausea and vomiting

Certain factors can increase the risk of liver damage with pravastatin oral tablet. These include having an existing liver condition and consuming too much alcohol (if applicable) while taking pravastatin.

Ways to manage

While you’re taking pravastatin, your doctor will likely order blood tests to check your liver health. They can provide more information on how often they’ll order these tests for you.

If you experience symptoms of liver damage, tell your doctor right away. They’ll likely recommend testing to evaluate your symptoms and check your liver health. Your doctor will also likely recommend stopping pravastatin treatment if they confirm you’ve experienced liver damage while taking it.

Allergic reaction

For some people, pravastatin oral tablet can cause an allergic reaction. These reactions were rare in studies but can still happen.

Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:

• itchiness
• skin rash
• swelling under the skin, usually affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
• swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)

Ways to manage

For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.

For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to pravastatin oral tablet, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.

Warnings for pravastatin

Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking pravastatin oral tablet.

Warnings

It may not be safe for you to take pravastatin oral tablet if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether pravastatin oral tablet is a safe treatment option for you.

Before taking pravastatin oral tablet, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include:

• type 1 or 2 diabetes
• kidney conditions, such as chronic kidney disease
• liver conditions, such as cirrhosis
• past allergic reaction to pravastatin

Pravastatin and pregnancy

Pravastatin oral tablet should not be taken during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication. Your doctor may suggest birth control options to use during treatment with pravastatin.

Pravastatin and breastfeeding

Pravastatin oral tablet should not be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication. Your doctor may recommend other ways to feed your child during treatment with pravastatin.

Pravastatin and alcohol

Pravastatin oral tablet is known to interact with alcohol.

Both pravastatin and alcohol can cause liver damage. Combining these two further raises your risk of this side effect, including the risk of severe liver damage.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with pravastatin oral tablet.

What to ask your doctor

This article describes common and serious side effects of pravastatin oral tablet. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they can discuss possible side effects with you. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about treatment with this medication.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• Does my health history increase my risk of side effects from taking pravastatin?
• If I have side effects from taking pravastatin, can you prescribe a lower dose for me to try?
• Are there types of exercise that increase my risk of muscle pain as a side effect of pravastatin?
• Are there foods I should avoid while taking pravastatin?

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.