Pravachol

Pravachol is a prescription medication used to treat high cholesterol levels. Pravachol belongs to a group of drugs called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, also known as statins. These work by blocking cholesterol production in the body.

This medication comes in tablet form and is usually taken once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of Pravachol include muscle pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting.

Pravachol is a prescription medication used to treat high cholesterol levels in order to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take Pravachol exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The Pravachol dose your doctor recommends will be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your age

The recommended dose range of Pravachol for the treatment of high cholesterol:

• For adults above age 18: 10 to 80 mg once a day.
• For teenagers ages 14 to 18 years old: 10 to 40 mg once a day.
• For children ages 8 to 13 years old: 10 to 20 mg once a day.

Serious side effects have been reported with Pravachol including the following:

• a decline in liver function. Tell your healthcare provider about any signs or symptoms of liver damage, which include the following:
  • loss of appetite or start losing weight (anorexia)
  • nausea or vomiting
  • feel tired
  • stomach pain or tenderness
  • dark urine or light colored stools
  • yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
  • fever or rash
• rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of muscle tissue). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of rhabdomyolysis:
  • muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness
  • uneasiness or general discomfort
  • fever
  • dark colored urine

Do not take Pravachol if you:

• are allergic to Pravachol or any of its ingredients
• have active liver disease
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Serious side effects have been reported with Pravachol.  See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Pravachol include the following:

• diarrhea
• nausea
• vomiting
• headache
• upper airway infection
• muscle pain

This is not a complete list of Pravachol side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• erythromycin (Erythrocin)
• clarithromycin (Biaxin)
• cyclosporine (Restasis, Sandimmune, Neoral)
• other immunosuppressive drugs such as medications used by cancer patients, transplant patients, or patients with inflammatory diseases like arthritis
• other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as fenofibrate (Tricor), gemfibrozil (Lopid), and niacin (Niaspan, nicotinic acid)

This is not a complete list of Pravachol drug interactions.  Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Pravachol falls into category X. It has been shown that women taking Pravachol during pregnancy may have babies with problems. There are no situations where the benefits of the medication for the mother outweigh the risks of harm to the baby. These medicines should never be used by pregnant women.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Many HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors have been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from Pravachol , a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Pravachol can cause rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of muscle tissue). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of rhabdomyolysis:

• muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness
• uneasiness or general discomfort
• fever
• dark colored urine

Before taking Pravachol , tell your doctor if you drink more than two alcoholic beverages per day.

Pravachol should never be used by pregnant women.