Indications
Pravastatin Sodium tablet is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (a statin) used as adjunctive therapy to diet. It reduces the risk of MI, revascularization and cardiovascular mortality in hypercholesterolemic patients without clinically evident CHD. In patients with clinically evident CHD, it reduces the risk of total mortality by reducing coronary death, MI, revascularization, stroke/TIA and the progression of coronary atherosclerosis. Pravalip tablet is also an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin), and it too is given as adjunctive therapy to diet. It reduces the risk of MI, revascularization and cardiovascular mortality in hypercholesterolemic patients without clinically evident CHD. In patients with clinically evident CHD, it reduces the risk of total mortality by reducing coronary death, MI, revascularization, stroke/TIA and the progression of coronary atherosclerosis. Pravalip also lowers elevated Total-C, LDL-C, ApoB and TG levels and raises HDL-C in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia. It reduces elevated serum TG levels in patients with hypertriglyceridemia. It is used to treat patients with primary dysbetalipoproteinemia who are not responding to diet. It is also used to treat children and adolescents aged 8 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, after an adequate trial of diet therapy has failed.
⚠️ Always consult a registered physician before taking any medicine.
Pharmacology
Pravastatin is a specific inhibitor of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase in humans. This enzyme works at an early, rate-limiting step in cholesterol biosynthesis, so blocking it reduces the amount of cholesterol the body makes.
The fall in cholesterol synthesis has been observed to increase the number of LDL receptors on cell surfaces. It also improves receptor-mediated metabolism and clearance of LDL. On the other hand, pravastatin inhibits LDL production, and that in turn inhibits hepatic synthesis of VLDL, because LDL is the precursor for these molecules.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Pravastatin is Pregnancy Category X, and its safety in pregnant women has not been established. Some women have taken it by accident while pregnant, and the data on them don't point to any harmful clinical events. But there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. So nobody knows whether pravastatin can harm the fetus when given to a pregnant woman, or whether it can affect reproductive capacity.
Pravastatin should be used in pregnancy only if the likely benefit is greater than the possible risk to the fetus, and only after the patient has been told about the potential hazards.
A small amount of pravastatin passes into human breast milk. Because this could cause serious adverse reactions in a nursing infant, women taking pravastatin should not nurse.
⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Dosage Reference
⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.
Side Effects & Interactions
Side Effects
No side-effect data recorded yet.