Pravachol online

Item name:

Pravachol (Pravastatin) (Bristol Myers Squibb)

Generic name:

pravastatin

Brand names:

Pravachol

Item info:

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.

Drug class:

Pravastatin is an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor. Pravastatin blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body.

Interactions:

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); or 
•  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.

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.

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 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; or 
•  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.

Prescription needed / OTC:

Pravastatin is a prescription-only drug.

Dosage:

Take pravastatin 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, pravastatin 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 with pravastatin 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 from pravastatin, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods.

It is important to take pravastatin regularly to get the most benefit.

Do not stop taking pravastatin without first talking to your doctor. Pravastatin 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 with pravastatin to monitor progress and side effects.

Contraindications:

Do not take pravastatin without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease.

Before taking pravastatin, tell your doctor if you;

•  have kidney disease, 
•  drink alcoholic beverages, 
•  have a chronic muscular disease, or 
•  have a blood disorder.

Your may not be able to take pravastatin, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Pravastatin is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that pravastatin 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. Pravastatin passes into breast milk and may be harmful to a nursing infant. Do not take pravastatin if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Storage:

Store pravastatin at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Cholesterol Medications

• Crestor
• Lipidil-EZ
• Lipitor
• Pravachol
• Pravastatin
• Simvastatin
• Vytorin
• Zocor