How does pravastatin work?
Pravastatin works by stopping the liver from making cholesterol. This lowers your blood cholesterol level.
During your first 12 months on this medicine, you'll be offered a couple of routine tests to make sure your liver is working normally.
When will I feel better?
Your cholesterol levels should drop within 4 weeks – if you take your medicine regularly, as prescribed.
Are statins safe?
Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol and most people will not get any side effects while taking them. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you are concerned about the safety of statins.
Are there any long-term side effects?
Pravastatin is safe to take for a long time, in fact, it works best when you take it for a long time.
How does it compare with other medicines for high cholesterol?
Statins all work in the same way, but they differ in how well they lower cholesterol.
There are several other cholesterol-lowering statin medicines, including:
- simvastatin
- fluvastatin
- atorvastatin
- rosuvastatin
If you have a side effect with one statin, it may not happen with another statin. Some medicines do not mix well with one statin, but you can take them with a different one.
Your doctor will find the right statin and dose for you, depending on your medical history, cholesterol level and the other medicines you take.
Is pravastatin addictive?
No, there's no evidence that pravastatin is addictive. You will not get any withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it.
Does it help to take supplements together with statins?
There is no clear evidence that taking Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) at the same time as pravastatin will benefit your health. More research is needed.
If you decide to take a CoQ10 supplement, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Supplements can affect other medicines you may also be taking.
There's not enough information to say that other herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with pravastatin. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.
Will taking pravastatin increase my risk of diabetes?
You are likely to be at greater risk of developing diabetes if you have high levels of sugars and fats in your blood, are overweight and have high blood pressure. There is some evidence that pravastatin can raise blood sugar in some patients.
If you are concerned, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. They can explain how the benefits of taking statins are likely to outweigh this small increased risk.
Will it affect my contraception?
Pravastatin will not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception.
Can I drive, or ride a bike?
Occasionally, pravastatin can make you feel dizzy or have blurred or double vision. If this happens to you, do not drive, ride a bike or use machines or tools, until you feel better.
It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking pravastatin. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.
Can I drink alcohol while taking pravastatin?
Yes, you can drink alcohol while taking pravastatin. However, drinking a lot of alcohol may increase the chances of you getting muscle and liver side effects.
Is there any food or drink I need to avoid?
You can eat and drink normally on pravastatin.
Unlike with other statins, such as simvastatin and atorvastatin, it's safe to drink grapefruit juice with pravastatin.
Can lifestyle changes help reduce my cholesterol?
There are lifestyle changes you can make that will help lower your cholesterol:
- make sure you're a healthy weight
- eat well – cut saturated fat and increase fibre, fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and fish
- quit smoking
- cut down on alcohol
- try to exercise every day