Pravastatin

Sounds like 'PRAV-uh-stat-in'

Key points about pravastatin

Pravastatin is used to lower raised cholesterol and reduce your chance of heart disease and stroke.
It belongs to a group of medicines known as statins.
Find out how to take pravastatin safely and possible side effects.

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Pravastatin is a medicine that reduces the amount of cholesterol made by your body by blocking the action of a certain enzyme which is needed to make cholesterol. It belongs to a group of medicines known as statins.

If you have high cholesterol

Pravastatin is used to lower raised cholesterol. Having high cholesterol increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and having a heart attack or stroke. Read more about high cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a type of lipid that is made by your liver and from the fatty foods that you eat. Everyone has cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood. They are fatty substances needed by the body for many things.
Your body needs some cholesterol but if the amount in your blood gets too high, it can cause small fatty patches called plaques (or atheroma).
Over time, these patches can accumulate and make the blood vessels narrow and stiff (a process called atherosclerosis). The narrowing reduces the blood flow through the arteries and can cause heart attack, angina and stroke.
Pravastatin helps to reduce atherosclerosis and reduces your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

In people with normal cholesterol but at risk of heart disease and stroke

Pravastatin can also reduce your chance of heart disease and stroke if you have an increased risk of it, even if your cholesterol levels are normal.

When deciding whether you should take a statin or not, your doctor will look at your overall risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the future.
They use calculations to work out your individual risk, including information on your age, sex, ethnicity, blood pressure, whether you smoke and if you have diabetes. Read more about heart risk assessment.
If your overall risk of having a heart attack or stroke is high, regardless of your cholesterol level, a statin may be recommended. This is because even if the amount of cholesterol in your blood is normal according to the numbers on your blood test results, there may already be plaque present in your arteries that indicates you’re at risk of cardiovascular disease.
Note: Taking a statin, such as pravastatin is just one factor in reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Making lifestyle changes including eating a healthy diet, staying active, keeping a healthy weight, drinking less alcohol, and not smoking can also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Pravastatin tablets are available in different strengths – 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg. Your dose of pravastatin will depend on why you are taking it, your cholesterol levels, and other medicines you may be taking.

The usual dose of pravastatin is 20 to 40 mg once a day.
Always take pravastatin exactly as your doctor has told you. The pharmacy label on your medicine will tell you how much pravastatin to take, how often to take it, and any special instructions.

Timing: Take pravastatin once a day. It may be recommended to take pravastatin in the evening, but there is little difference in effect. In general, the best time to take it is at a convenient time that suits you so that you remember to take it. It's best to take it at the same time each day.
Food: You can take pravastatin with or without food.
Missed dose: If you forget your dose, take it as soon as you remember that day. But if it is nearly time for your next dose, just take the next dose at the usual time. Don't take double the dose.

Here are some things to know when you're taking pravastatin. Other things may be important as well, so ask your healthcare provider what you should know about.

Alcohol: Avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol while you're taking pravastatin. Heavy drinking can increase your risk of side effects such as problems with your liver.
Tests and monitoring: You may need to see your healthcare provider regularly when you first start taking pravastatin to make sure the dose is right for you. High cholesterol doesn’t have any symptoms so you won’t notice any changes after taking pravastatin. That's why it’s important to have a blood test to check the changes in your cholesterol levels.
Keep taking pravastatin regularly: To reduce your cholesterol effectively, you must keep taking pravastatin every day. Treatment with pravastatin is usually long term.
Get the full benefit: To get the full benefit of a statin, it's important to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and have no more than 1 alcoholic drink a day. It's best to eat a low-fat diet, and reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat.
Other medicines: Pravastatin interacts with some medicines, herbal supplements and rongoā Māori, so check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting pravastatin or before starting any new medicines or supplements.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding: Talk to your healthcare provider if you're pregnant, planning a pregnancy or want to breastfeed.

Like all medicines, pravastatin can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Often side effects improve as your body gets used to the new medicine.

Muscle pain or weakness

Some people will have muscle pain or weakness when taking statins. This is rarely serious and often goes away with time. If your pain comes on shortly after you start your statin, or gets worse, see your doctor. Your doctor will check an enzyme called creatine kinase to see if the aches and pains are possibly being caused or made worse by the statins. If so:

a lower dose or a different statin may be prescribed, or
you may choose to continue living with the aches because of the benefits of the statin, or
you may discuss stopping taking your statin with your doctor.

Your doctor will also want to check for a rare but serious condition called rhabdomyolysis and will check any other medicines you are taking. Rhabdomyolysis can be caused by an interaction between statins and some other medicines.

Other side effects

Side effects	What should I do?
Diarrhoea (runny poo) Stomach upset Bloating or gas in the tummy Nausea (feeling sick)	These are quite common when you first start taking pravastatin, and usually go away with time. Tell your doctor if they bother you.
Muscle aches and pains or muscle weakness Dry cough, sudden weight loss and fever	Tell your doctor.
Signs of problems with your liver such as dark coloured urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes, sharp pain in your stomach area	Tell your doctor immediately or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.
Signs of an allergic reaction, eg, itchy skin and rash	Tell your doctor immediately or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.
Read more about medicines and side effects and reporting a reaction you think might be a side effect.