Drug Name

Pravachol (Pravastatin)

Drug Uses

Pravachol is an enzyme blocker (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor), as well as known as a "statin". It is used in adults as well as children (8 years of age as well as older), along with a proper diet, to help lower cholesterol as well as fats (triglycerides) in the blood. In common, this drug is prescribed after non-drug treatment options possess not been fully successful at lowering cholesterol (e.g., diet change, increase in exercise, weight loss incase overweight). Reducing cholesterol as well as triglycerides help halt strokes as well as heart attacks.

How Taken

Take this medication by mouth usually once daily, with or without food, or as directed by your doctor. This drug is best used in the evening. Dosage is based on your health examination condition, response to therapy, as well as take of confident interacting medicines. Many of the drugs listed in the Drug Interactions section may increase the chances of muscle injury when used with pravachol. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Incase you as well as take confident other drugs to lower your cholesterol (bile acid-binding resins such as cholestyramine or colestipol), take pravachol at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after these drugs. Take this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to take it at the alike time each day. It may take up to 4 weeks before the filled benefit of this drug takes effect. It is substantial to continue using this medication even incase you feel well. Most people with high cholesterol or triglycerides do not feel sick.

Drug Class as well as Mechanism

Pravachol is an oral drug for lowering cholesterol in the blood. It has been shown to reduce the occurrence of heart attacks, strokes as well as death caused by coronary heart disease. It belongs to a class of drugs called HMG-CoA reductase Inhibitors, commonly called "statins". Other statins include simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin (Lipitor) as well as fluvastatin (Lescol). Statins reduce cholesterol by inhibiting an enzyme in the liver (HMG-CoA reductase) that is essential for the production of cholesterol. In the blood, statins lower total as well as LDL ("bad") cholesterol as well as triglycerides. They as well as increase HDL ("good") cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is believed to be an substantial cause of coronary artery disease. Lowering LDL cholesterol levels slows as well as may even reverse coronary artery disease. Raising HDL cholesterol levels as well as may unhurried coronary artery disease.

Missed Dose

Incase you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Incase it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose as well as resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch.

Storage

Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light as well as moisture. Brief storage between 59 as well as 86 degrees F (15 to 30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children as well as pets.

Warnings/Precautions

Before using pravachol, tell your doctor or pharmacist incase you are allergic to it; or to other "statins"; or incase you possess any other allergies. This medication should not be used incase you possess confident health examination conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist incase you have: active liver disease. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your health examination history, especially of: heart disease, history of liver disease, kidney disease, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), diabetes (poorly controlled), alcohol take. The rare development of very bad muscle damage (see Side Effects) can infrequently lead to humorless kidney problems. This medication is usually temporarily stopped incase you possess any condition which can increase your risk of developing kidney problems. Before stopping your medication, notify your doctor immediately incase you possess any of the following conditions: major surgery, trauma, humorless illness (e.g., sepsis, very bad metabolic/endocrine/electrolyte disorders), very abridged blood pressure, uncontrolled seizures. This drug may make you dizzy; take caution engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery. Limit alcoholic beverages. Daily take of alcohol may increase your chance for humorless side effects. Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to the side effects of the drug, especially muscle damage. This medication must not be used during pregnancy. Incase you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. It is recommended that immature girls as well as women of child-bearing age take effective birth control measures to halt pregnancy while using this drug since pravachol may cause fetal harm. A tiny amount of this drug passes into breast milk as well as may possess undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Breast-feeding is not recommended while using this drug. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Likely Side Effects

Heartburn, headache, or dizziness may occur. Incase any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. This drug may infrequently cause muscle damage (which can rarely lead to a very humorless, possibly fatal, condition called rhabdomyolysis). Seek immediate health examination attention incase you develop: muscle pain/tenderness/weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness). Tell your doctor immediately incase any of these highly unlikely but very humorless side effects occur: yellowing eyes as well as skin, not light urine, very bad fatigue, very bad stomach/abdominal pain, persistent nausea, change in the amount of urine. A humorless allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate health examination attention incase it occurs. Symptoms of a humorless allergic reaction include: rash, itching, swelling, very bad dizziness, trouble breathing. Incase you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

More Information

Do not share this medication with others. Laboratory and/or health examination tests (e.g., blood cholesterol levels, liver function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details. For best results, this medication should be used along with exercise, a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet, as well as a weight loss program incase you are overweight. As well as to help reduce your risk of heart attacks as well as strokes, check your blood pressure regularly, seek health examination treatment incase your blood pressure is high, as well as halt smoking. Consult your doctor for more details.