Tag Archives: Pravastatin Sodium

What Condition Does Pravastatin Sodium Treat and Its Price

What Condition Does Pravastatin Sodium Treat and Its Price?

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Pravastatin Sodium is an oral medication used to lower bad cholesterol and fats. This medicine is usually used along with a proper diet that helps with raising good cholesterol in the blood. Pravastatin Sodium is an FDA approved prescription. 

What condition does Pravastatin Sodium treat?

Pravastatin Sodium belongs to the group of medications called statins intended to:

Lowering triglyceride and bad cholesterol levels decrease the risk of heart disease. It also helps prevent heart attacks or strokes. Also that this medicine is used along with a proper diet, other lifestyle changes can also help this medication work better. It includes losing weight if overweight, exercising, and stopping smoking. 

How does Pravastatin Sodium work?

Pravastatin Sodium belongs to a group of medicines known as statins that lessens the quantity of cholesterol and other lipids made by your body. This medicine works by:

  • Blocking the action of a certain enzyme which is necessary to make cholesterol.
  • Lowering your risk of a blood vessel and heart disease.
  • Decreasing the risk of heart disease in people who have an increased risk of it, even if their cholesterol levels are normal.

What is the dosage of Pravastatin Sodium?

Take Pravastatin Sodium once a day in the evening because your body makes most cholesterol at night. This drug doesn’t upset the stomach, so you can take it with or without food. Swallow Pravastatin Sodium whole with a glass of water.

  • In children aged 8 to 13 years old: The usual dose is 10mg to 20mg once a day.
  • In children aged 14 to 17 years old: The dose may range from 10mg to 40mg every day.
  • In adults: The usual dose is 10mg to 40mg once a day.

Your dose will depend on your cholesterol levels, the reason for taking it, and what other medicines you’re taking. Ask your pharmacist for advice if you’re not sure how much to take. Don’t reduce your dose without talking to your doctor first. Your doctor will work out the amount of Pravastatin Sodium that’s right for your child based on their age. 

What are the precautions in using Pravastatin Sodium?

  • You need to keep your regular appointments with your doctor. You will also need to have blood tests from time to time. These are to measure your cholesterol level and also to check that your liver has not been affected by taking this medicine.
  • Women taking Pravastatin Sodium must avoid getting pregnant. Make sure you have discussed with your doctor which types of contraception are suitable for you and your partner.
  • Treatment with Pravastatin Sodium is usually long-term unless you experience an adverse effect. Continue to take the tablets unless you are advised otherwise by your doctor.
  • This prescription is not suitable for people with severe lung disease, an underactive thyroid, muscle disorder, or kidney problems.
  • You need to inform your doctor if you have an allergic reaction to this drug or if you have any other allergies.
  • This drug seems to be a very safe medicine and it is unusual to have side effects. Nevertheless, different statins could affect people in different ways. Talk to your doctor if side effects bother you or don’t go away. They may recommend taking different statins.
  • A memory could occur which is a very rare side effect. This usually goes away when you stop talking about medicine.
  • Pravastatin Sodium is not recommended for use while breastfeeding.
  • Several medicines interfere with the way this drug works. Medicines that may not mix with Pravastatin Sodium are antifungals, antibiotics, and HIV medicines, medicine for gout, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis. If you need to take one of these medications, you need to lower your dose of Pravastatin Sodium, prescribed a different statin, or recommend to temporarily stop taking Pravastatin Sodium.

Price of Pravastatin Sodium vs. Pravachol

The generic Pravastatin Sodium is an inexpensive drug that lessens the risk of heart attacks or strokes. This is because the drug controls the bad cholesterol levels in your blood and raises good cholesterol. Pravastatin Sodium only costs $0.63 per unit of 10 mg at Rx2go. The brand name Pravachol costs $3.60 per unit of 10 mg as well. Therefore, the generic Pravastatin Sodium is a lot cheaper than the brand name Pravachol.

Medication that Reduces the Cholesterol Production by the Liver

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Cholesterol – It is a substance that contains a lot of fat. It is found in the body tissue and blood of all animals. The substance is essential to the formation of bile acids, vitamin D, progesterone, estrogen, and androgens. A diet that contains high saturated fats leads to increase the blood cholesterol level. Cholesterol needed by the body is also prepared by the liver and other tissues. This increased level of cholesterol increases the risk of heart and blood vessel disease.

Pravastatin sodium is a medicine that reduces the cholesterol production by the liver.

How does Pravastatin sodium works?

Pravastatin sodium belongs to the class of drug called as statins. It acts as lipoprotein lowering drug. The works in two steps.

  1. It inhibits the function HMG-CoA reductase enzyme. This inhibits the synthesis of low-density lipoprotein-like VLDL and LDL.
  2. As the production decreases in the liver, there is an increase in the uptake of LDL and VLDL from the blood. This reduces its amount in the bloodstream.
  3. It also results in the increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol.

Overall Pravastatin sodium decrease production of cholesterol in the liver and in its amount in the blood.

How to take Pravastatin sodium?

You can buy generic pravastatin sodium in the form of a tablet of 10 mg and 20 mg. Take a tablet same time every day. You can take the tablet with or without food.

The dosage depends on age and how severe is your condition?

Adult dosage.

  • Initial dose- 40 mg once in a day.
  • Maintenance dose- 40- 80 mg once in a day.

Children dosage.

  • <8 years- safety & efficacy not established.
  • 8 to 13 years – 20 mg once daily.
  • 14 to 18 years – 40 mg once daily.

Your doctor may adjust your dosage as needed. It depends on other medications you take.

What are the uses of Pravastatin sodium?

  • Pravastatin sodium is used to lower “bad” cholesterol and fats (LDL, triglycerides)
  • It raises “good” cholesterol (HDL) in the blood.
  • Reduce the amount of cholesterol made by the liver.
  • This decreases the risk of heart disease.
  • Helps prevent stroke/ heart attack.
  • Treats hardening of the arteries due to plaque buildup.
  • Helpful in other conditions not listed in the medication guide.
  • It is used to lower the progress of heart disease.

What are the precautions in taking Pravastatin sodium?

  • Before using Pravastatin sodium, inform your doctor about certain conditions that may create problems. Discuss with your doctor if you have/are.
    • Allergic to the above drug.
    • Any other allergies.
    • Liver disease.
    • Kidney disease.
    • Dental or any other surgery.
    • Pregnant or plan to be pregnant.
    • Breast Feeding
    • Diabetes
  • Inform your health provider about all other medicines you take.
  • Follow the diet and work out a plan that your doctor told you.
  • Avoid use of alcohol.
  • Consult your doctor in case of muscle pain, weakness, body aches or fever while taking Pravastatin sodium.

Cost of Pravastatin sodium (Generic & Brand)

Generic drugs have same active ingredient as brand ones. But generic drugs are cheaper as compared to brand drugs. They adopt many cost-saving methods like ordering in bulk from manufacturer etc. They also don’t need to spend a huge amount on inventing a drug. All this benefit is transferred to our consumers.

Cost of generic pravastatin sodium.

  • Pack of 30 tablets of 10 mg costs $ 19, per unit cost is $ 0.63.
  • Pack of 30 tablets of 20 mg costs $ 29, per unit cost is $ 0.97.

Cost of brand Pravachol.

  • Pack of 30 tablets of 10 mg costs $ 123.83, per unit cost is $ 4.13.
  • Pack of 30 tablets of 20 mg costs $ 130.62, per unit cost is $ 4.35.