Niacin and Pravachol

When niacin and Pravachol are taken together, serious drug interactions may occur. Taking either niacin or Pravachol alone can potentially cause serious muscle problems. Therefore, when the medications are combined, the risks of developing the muscle conditions are even higher. Generally, it is recommended that people not take the two medicines together.

 

Niacin and Pravachol: An Overview

There are a number of possible drug interactions with Pravachol® (pravastatin sodium). Drug interactions are problems that can occur when Pravachol and another drug are used together. One of these drug interactions is with niacin, a medicine used to lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, while raising HDL cholesterol levels.
 
There is a warning relating to the combination of niacin and Pravachol -- this is because when the two medicines are used together, there is an increased risk of developing serious muscle problems.
 

The Niacin-Pravachol Warning: Serious Muscle Problems

Some of the more common side effects of Pravachol include muscle pain, weakness, or muscle aches (up to 2.
 7 percent of people). For most people, this muscle pain does not indicate a serious problem. However, in rare cases, people can develop a serious problem with their muscles while on Pravachol. Two serious muscle problems are myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is very serious because it can cause muscles to break down. This can cause the kidneys to stop working properly (acute kidney failure) and, in some cases, lead to loss of life.
 
When niacin is used alone, it also increases a person's chances for developing myopathy or rhabdomyolysis. Therefore, it is believed that people taking both niacin and Pravachol are at increased risk for these serious muscle problems because of the combined effect of the two medicines.
 
(Niacin and Pravachol Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;