PRAVACHOL
Generic Name: pravastatin (PRAH vah stah tin) Brand Names: Pravachol
In medicine and pharmacology, pravastatin (Pravachol® or Selektine®) is a member of the drug class of statins, used for lowering cholesterol and preventing cardiovascular disease.
Pravastatin was identified originally in a mold called Nocardia autotrophica by researchers of the Sankyo Pharma Inc. It is presently being marketed outside Japan by the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Take pravastatin tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. The usual pravastatin dose is taken once a day. You can take pravastatin with or without food. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed. Pravastatin is an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor. Pravastatin blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body. Pravastatin is 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.  Tell your prescriber or health care professional as soon as you can if you get any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever and tiredness. Pravastatin is only part of a total cholesterol-lowering program. Your physician or dietician can suggest a low-cholesterol and low-fat diet that will reduce your risk of getting heart and blood vessel disease. Avoid alcohol and smoking, and keep a proper exercise schedule. If you are going to have surgery tell your prescriber or health care professional that you are taking pravastatin. |
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Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next regularly scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take a double dose of this medication. 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 pravastatin 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; or; 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. Pravastatin is used with diet changes (restriction of cholesterol and fat intake) to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in the blood. Pravastatin is in a class of medications called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). It works by slowing the production of cholesterol in the body. Buildup of cholesterol and fats along the walls of the blood vessels (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases blood flow and, therefore, the oxygen supply to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body. Lowering blood levels of cholesterol and fats may help to prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks. 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. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication. Do not take pravastatin 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 pravastatin, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above. Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with pravastatin. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.
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