Generic Name: pravastatin (PRAH vah stah tin)
Brand Names: Pravachol
Pravachol : Important Information
- Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems have been associated with the use of pravastatin and other similar medicines. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, dark colored urine or pale colored stools. These may be early symptoms of muscle or liver problems.
- Do not take pravastatin without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease.
- Alcohol and pravastatin can both be damaging to the liver. Alcohol should be used only in moderation. Discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor so that the potential for liver problems can be determined.
- Do not take pravastatin if you are pregnant, could become pregnant during treatment, or if you are breast-feeding a baby.
What is Pravachol
- An HMG CoA reductase inhibitor. Pravastatin blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body.
- Used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides (another type of fat), and apolipoprotein B (a protein needed to make cholesterol) in your blood. These actions are important in reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.
What to Discuss before Using
- Do not take without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease.
- Before taking, tell your doctor if you:
- have kidney disease
- drink alcoholic beverages
- have a chronic muscular disease
- have a blood disorder
- You may not be able to take this medication, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
- In the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that it is known to cause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy. Do not take pravastatin if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
- Passes into breast milk and may be harmful to a nursing infant. Do not take if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Pravachol Dosage Method
- Take exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
- Take each dose with a full glass of water.
- For the greatest effect, this medication is usually taken at bedtime or with an evening meal. It may also be taken several times a day. Follow your doctor's instructions.
- Your doctor may want to monitor your liver function with blood tests before starting treatment and at twelve weeks after both the start of your treatment and any increase in dose. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor can determine how much monitoring you will require.
- Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. To see beneficial effects, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods.
- It is important to take medication regularly to get the most benefit.
- Do not stop taking medication without first talking to your doctor. May need to be taken on a long-term basis for the treatment of high cholesterol.
- Your doctor may want you to have blood tests or other medical evaluations during treatment to monitor progress and side effects.
- Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Miss a dose: Problems?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.
Pravachol Overdose?
- Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected.
- Symptoms of an overdose include nausea, diarrhea, stomach distress, and indigestion.
Avoid During Treatment
- Alcohol and pravastatin can both be damaging to the liver. Alcohol should be used only in moderation. Discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor so that the potential for liver problems can be determined.
Pravachol Side Effects
- Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems have been associated with the use of pravastatin and other similar medicines. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, dark colored urine or pale colored stools. These may be early symptoms of muscle or liver problems.
- If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
- an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives)
- decreased urine or rust-colored urine
- blurred vision
- Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take pravastatin and talk to your doctor if you experience:
- gas, bloating, nausea, stomach upset, heartburn, abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea
- a cough
- headache
- insomnia
- Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs to avoid while undergoing treatment
- Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
- gemfibrozil (Lopid), clofibrate (Atromid-S), or fenofibrate (Tricor)
- niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Slo-Niacin, others)
- erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, others) or clarithromycin (Biaxin)
- cholestyramine (Questran) or colestipol (Colestid)
- You may not be able to take this medication, or you may require a special dosage or monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
- Drugs other than those listed here may also interact. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.
Pravachol also known as Pravastatin is a drug that aids in the control of bad cholesterol levels in the blood. Pravachol drug reduces the amount of LDL in the blood and increases levels of good cholesterol.
Pravachol is an hmg-coa reductase inhibitor used to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in your blood. Pravastatin 40 mg is usually prescribed to patients who are at risk of developing hardening of the arteries, heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vascular diseases. Pravachol drug is used with diet restrictions of cholesterol and fat related foods to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in the blood.
Pravastatin 40 mg medication is to be taken orally usually once daily, with or without food, as directed by your doctor. Pravachol is a prescription drug, so follow the dosage instructions as prescribed by your doctor or pharmacist.
