When should pravastatin be administered?

If a daily dose of 40 mg does not achieve desired cholesterol levels, 80 mg once daily is recommended. PRAVACHOL can be administered orally as a single dose at any time of the day, with or without food.

Why do so many doctors prescribe statins?

Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol and protecting against a heart attack and stroke, although they may lead to side effects for some people. Doctors often prescribe statins for people with high cholesterol to lower their total cholesterol and reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke.

What happens if you stop taking pravastatin?

You won’t get any withdrawal symptoms. However, stopping pravastatin may cause your cholesterol to rise. This increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you want to stop taking your medicine, it’s important to find another way to lower your cholesterol.

Do statins contribute to dementia?

The researchers found that of 300 older adults with mildly impaired thinking and memory, those using “lipophilic” statins were more likely to develop dementia over the next eight years. Lipophilic statins include such widely used medications as simvastatin (Zocor), atorvastatin (Lipitor) and lovastatin (Altoprev).

What are the side effects of taking pravastatin?

Check with your doctor right away if you get a headache, stomach pain, vomiting, dark-colored urine, loss of appetite, weight loss, general feeling of tiredness or weakness, light-colored stools, upper right stomach pain, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of liver damage.

What kind of enzyme does pravastatin block?

Pravastatin works by blocking an enzyme, called HMG-CoA reductase, in the liver that makes different types of lipids (this is the collective term for fats and cholesterol). Pravastatin also boosts the breakdown of lipids. Pravastatin belongs to the class of medicines known as statins. Pravastatin is also known as an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor.

How often should you take pravastatin for heart disease?

Lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats with pravastatin has been shown to prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks. How should this medicine be used? Pravastatin comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day with or without food. Take pravastatin at around the same time every day.

Can you take grapefruit juice with pravastatin?

Also report any unexplained fatigue, shortness of breath, unexplained cough, weight loss, abdominal pain, dark urine, or yellowing of the skin. Take once daily. Grapefruit juice has less of an effect on pravastatin compared to atorvastatin. May be taken with or without food.