Pravastatin
Pravastatin (prav a STAT in) is a generic medication prescribed for high cholesterol. It’s also used to lower the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems. Pravastatin belongs to a group of drugs commonly called statins.
Pravastatin (prav a STAT in) is a generic medication prescribed for high cholesterol. It’s also used to lower the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems. Pravastatin belongs to a group of drugs commonly called statins.
- Generic
- • Tablet
- • 40mg
- • 45 Tablets
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Intro
Introduction
Written by Patricia Weiser, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA
Updated on July 27, 2023
Pravastatin (prav a STAT in) is a generic medication prescribed for high cholesterol. It’s also used to lower the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems. Pravastatin belongs to a group of drugs commonly called statins.
Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved pravastatin to:
- lower cholesterol levels in adults and some children, in certain situations
- reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, need for certain types of heart surgery, and the risk of death due to heart disease
- reduce the risk of death due to heart problems in adults with high cholesterol who do not have coronary heart disease (CAD)
- slow the worsening of atherosclerosis in adults with CAD
Side effects
Side effects of pravastatin
Pravastatin may cause mild or serious side effects. More common mild side effects of pravastatin and its serious side effects are listed below. This article doesn’t include all possible side effects of the drug. Side effects can vary based on your age, overall health, and any other medications you take.
To learn more about pravastatin’s side effects, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also refer to the prescribing information for pravastatin listed in the “Resources” section.
Mild side effects
More common mild side effects reported with pravastatin are listed below.
This article doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. To learn more about pravastatin’s side effects, refer to the prescribing information for pravastatin listed in the “Resources” section.
With many drugs, mild side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If the side effects are bothersome, tell your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest ways to manage them.
Pravastatin oral tablet’s mild side effects include:
- muscle pain
- nausea
- diarrhea
- headache
- mild allergic reaction*
* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for pravastatin” section.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects of pravastatin are listed below.
This article doesn’t include all possible serious side effects of the drug. To learn more about pravastatin’s side effects, refer to the prescribing information for pravastatin listed in the “Resources” section.
With many drugs, serious side effects are possible but not common. If you have serious side effects from this drug, call your doctor right away. If you’re having severe symptoms or a medical emergency, call 911 or a local emergency number.
In general, pravastatin’s serious side effects include:
- angina (a type of chest pain)
- liver damage
- muscle problems
- severe allergic reaction*
* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for pravastatin” section.
Uses
Uses of pravastatin
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as pravastatin for certain conditions. Approved uses for pravastatin are described below.
Use for lowering cholesterol levels
Doctors may prescribe pravastatin oral tablet for lowering cholesterol. It’s used for this purpose in adults and certain children. It’s usually prescribed as a long-term treatment.
Your body needs different types of lipids (fats), including cholesterol. But certain medical conditions can make the levels of cholesterol and other lipids too high. (Or, in some cases, certain types of cholesterol can become too low.) Having high cholesterol increases the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems, such as heart attack.
The FDA has approved pravastatin to help manage cholesterol levels in people with:
- high cholesterol or certain inherited lipid disorders that cause high blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (a type of fat) in adults
- heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (an inherited lipid disorder) in children ages 8 years and older
Pravastatin is usually prescribed in combination with diet changes to lower cholesterol.
Doctors may not prescribe pravastatin oral tablet in certain situations, such as if a person has a lipid disorder called Fredrickson types I and V.
Use for reducing risk of heart and blood vessel problems
Doctors may prescribe pravastatin oral tablet for lowering the risk of heart and blood vessel problems. It’s used for this purpose in adults. It’s usually prescribed as a long-term treatment.
The FDA has specifically approved pravastatin to:
- reduce the risk of heart attack and the need for certain types of heart surgery, as well as the risk of death due to heart problems in adults with high cholesterol but who do not have coronary heart disease (CAD)
- reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and the need for certain types of heart surgery, as well as the risk of death due to CAD
- slow the worsening of atherosclerosis in adults with CAD
CAD occurs when cholesterol builds up on artery walls and forms plaques. This makes the arteries narrower than usual (known as atherosclerosis). With CAD, you have reduced blood flow to the heart. This increases the risk of heart attack, which may lead to death.
FAQs
Common questions about pravastatin
Below you’ll find answers to a few commonly asked questions about pravastatin.
What brand names are available for pravastatin?
Pravastatin is a generic drug. There currently isn’t a brand-name version available. Originally, pravastatin was available as Pravachol. But this brand-name drug is no longer made.
A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.) Generic drugs are believed to be as effective and safe as brand-name drugs. And generic drugs typically cost less compared to brand-name drugs.
For more information about brand-name version of pravastatin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Is pravastatin similar to atorvastatin?
Yes. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) and pravastatin belong to the same group of drugs called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. They’re commonly known as statin drugs.
Taking the same dose of different statins will typically lower cholesterol levels by different amounts. To indicate these differences, doctors describe statins as low, moderate, or high intensity.
Pravastatin is usually a low to moderate intensity statin. And atorvastatin is typically a moderate to high intensity statin. The intensity varies depending on the specific dose prescribed by your doctor.
If you have questions about which statin may be right for you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes.
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 may continue for some time after you stop taking it.
Examples of long-term side effects reported with pravastatin oral tablet include:
- liver damage; in rare cases, this may cause long-term complications
- muscle problems; in rare cases, these may continue even after stopping pravastatin treatment
If you have questions about long-term side effects from pravastatin, talk with your doctor.
How does pravastatin work? And how long does it take to start working?
Pravastatin works by blocking an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase. It’s an enzyme that helps your body make cholesterol. When this enzyme is blocked, your body makes less cholesterol.
Pravastatin begins to work quickly. But it might take up to 4 weeks to see its effects on lowering your cholesterol level. So doctors usually wait for 4 weeks before ordering a blood test to check your cholesterol level. If your cholesterol level is still high, they may recommend a dose increase.
If you’d like to know more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interactions and warnings
Interactions and warnings for pravastatin
Below you’ll find information about pravastatin’s possible interactions and warnings.
Interactions of pravastatin
Certain things may affect how a drug works. These include getting vaccines, consuming alcohol or certain foods, or taking the drug with other medications. This effect is called a drug interaction.
Before you take pravastatin, ask your doctor to check for possible interactions. Be sure to tell them about any of the following you take or use:
- prescription or over-the-counter drugs
- vitamins, herbs, or supplements
To learn about drug-condition interactions, see the “Warnings for pravastatin” section below.
Warnings for pravastatin
Some people should not take pravastatin, and others should take it cautiously.
Pravastatin could cause harm to people with certain health conditions. This effect is called a drug-condition interaction. Other factors can also affect whether pravastatin is a safe option for you.
Ask your doctor about specific warnings for pravastatin, and be sure to tell your doctor about your:
- current health, including any allergies to medications
- past health conditions or surgeries
Allergic reaction
Pravastatin can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Severe allergic reactions are rare but possible.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction to pravastatin or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe pravastatin. They can tell you about medications that are safer options for you.
A mild allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:
A severe allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:
- swelling under your skin, usually in your hands, feet, eyelids, or lips
- swelling of your mouth, throat, or tongue, which can cause breathing problems
If you have an allergic reaction to pravastatin, call your doctor right away. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number.
Overdose of pravastatin
If you take pravastatin by mouth, you should not take more pravastatin than your doctor prescribes. For some drugs, doing so may lead to harmful effects or overdose.
If you think you’ve taken too much pravastatin, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have concerning symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding and pravastatin
Information about pravastatin and pregnancy and breastfeeding is described below.
Pravastatin and pregnancy
Pravastatin 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 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.
Ask your doctor
What to ask your doctor
Let your doctor know if you have questions about pravastatin or would like more details about it.
Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:
- How does pravastatin compare with other medications available to treat my condition?
- If I’ve had side effects from taking a different statin in the past, am I likely to have side effects with pravastatin?
- How often will I need to get blood tests to monitor my cholesterol level while taking pravastatin?
- Are there ways to make the muscle-related side effects of pravastatin go away?
Resources
Resources
- Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
- Grundy SM, et al. (2018). 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the management of blood cholesterol: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000625
- Pravastatin sodium- pravastatin sodium tablet. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/7d660b83-99fa-6ef2-e053-2991aa0a9d97/spl-doc
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.
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