Pravastatin
Brand names: PRAVACHOL, PRAVASTATIN SODIUM, Pravastatin Sodium, Pravastatin sodium, pravastatin sodium
Warnings
No boxed warning. Contraindications include "hypersensitivity to any component of this medication," "active liver disease or unexplained, persistent elevations of serum transaminases," and use during pregnancy and lactation. Key warnings cover skeletal muscle effects - patients should report "unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, particularly if accompanied by malaise or fever" - with rare cases of "rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure secondary to myoglobinuria," and rare immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) with "proximal muscle weakness and elevated serum creatine kinase, which persist despite discontinuation of statin treatment."
Uses
Pravastatin is indicated to reduce the risk of MI, revascularization, and cardiovascular mortality in hypercholesterolemic patients without clinically evident coronary heart disease, and in patients with existing coronary heart disease to reduce "the risk of total mortality by reducing coronary death, MI, revascularization, stroke/TIA, and the progression of coronary atherosclerosis." Also indicated as an adjunct to diet for elevated total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides, and for "heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia" in pediatric patients 8 years and older who fail diet therapy.
Dosage forms & strengths
All identified pills
PV 20
WHITE CAPSULE · Pravastatin
2 manufacturers
PV 40
WHITE CAPSULE · Pravastatin
2 manufacturers
PV20
WHITE CAPSULE · Pravastatin
7 manufacturers
PV40
WHITE CAPSULE · Pravastatin
10 manufacturers
PV80
WHITE CAPSULE · Pravastatin
3 manufacturers
RDY 229
WHITE ROUND · Pravastatin
RDY 230
WHITE ROUND · Pravastatin
3 manufacturers
RDY 231
WHITE ROUND · Pravastatin
2 manufacturers
RDY 274
WHITE OVAL · Pravastatin
3 manufacturers
T 36
WHITE RECTANGLE · Pravastatin
3 manufacturers
TEVA 771
PINK ROUND · Pravastatin
5 manufacturers
TEVA 7202
GREEN ROUND · Pravastatin
15 manufacturers
TEVA 7201
YELLOW ROUND · Pravastatin
13 manufacturers
TEVA 7270
WHITE OVAL · Pravastatin
5 manufacturers
Y 38
YELLOW OVAL · Pravastatin
2 manufacturers
Y 37
YELLOW RECTANGLE · Pravastatin
2 manufacturers
Y 39
YELLOW RECTANGLE · Pravastatin
3 manufacturers
ZC43
WHITE OVAL · Pravastatin
6 manufacturers
ZC44
WHITE OVAL · Pravastatin
13 manufacturers
ZC45
WHITE OVAL · Pravastatin
19 manufacturers
ZC46
WHITE OVAL · Pravastatin
10 manufacturers
Side effects
In short-term trials, the most frequent reactions were "musculoskeletal pain, nausea/vomiting, upper respiratory infection, diarrhea, and headache." Long-term data reported musculoskeletal pain in 24.9% of patients, fatigue in 8.4%, and upper respiratory tract infection in 21.2%. Postmarketing reports include myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, tendon disorder, polymyositis, and rare cognitive impairment ("memory loss, forgetfulness, amnesia, memory impairment, confusion").