Pravachol Uses

How Does Pravachol Work?

Pravachol is part of a class of drugs called statins. It works by blocking a particular enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) that controls the rate of cholesterol production in the body. This causes the liver to make less cholesterol and increases its ability to collect and get rid of LDL cholesterol.
 
Because of the effects of Pravachol, the following forms of cholesterol and fats are decreased:
 
The medication also increases HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).
 

Pravachol as Part of Cholesterol Treatment

The main goal of any high cholesterol treatment is to lower your LDL cholesterol enough to reduce your risk for developing problems related to high cholesterol (see Effects of High Cholesterol). The higher your risk, the lower your LDL goal will be.
 
(Click High Cholesterol Risk to see a list of risk factors that may affect your cholesterol level, as well as a list of ideal LDL cholesterol levels.)
 
Any cholesterol treatment begins with lifestyle changes (weight loss, low-cholesterol diet, and exercise). If lifestyle changes alone are not effective in lowering cholesterol to a good level, medication may be necessary.
 

Is Pravachol Used for Children?

Pravachol has been approved to treat high cholesterol in children ages 8 to 18 years old with a specific genetic condition known as heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.
 

Off-Label Pravachol Uses

On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend Pravachol for treating something other than the conditions listed in this article. This is called an "off-label" use. At this time, there are no universally accepted off-label uses for Pravachol.
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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