Generic Name: aspirin and pravastatin (AS pir in and PRAV a STAT in)
Brand Names: Pravigard Pac
What is aspirin and pravastatin?
Pravastatin is a cholesterol-lowering medication that blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body.
Pravastatin reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol in the blood. Lowering your cholesterol can help prevent heart disease and hardening of the arteries, conditions that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and vascular disease.
Aspirin is a pain reliever and fever reducer. It also reduces swelling.
The combination of aspirin and pravastatin is used to treat high cholesterol and lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, or other heart complications in people with coronary heart disease.
Aspirin and pravastatin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about aspirin and pravastatin?
In rare cases, pravastatin can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. This condition can lead to kidney failure. Call your doctor at once if you have unexplained muscle pain or tenderness, muscle weakness, fever or flu symptoms, and dark colored urine. This medication can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use if you are pregnant. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Do not take aspirin and pravastatin if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or if you have liver disease, asthma with nasal polyps, or aspirin-sensitive asthma or other allergic reactions.
Before taking aspirin and pravastatin, tell your doctor if you have diabetes, underactive thyroid, kidney disease, congestive heart failure, a muscle disorder, a recent history of stomach or intestinal bleeding, a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, or if you drink 3 or more alcoholic beverages per day.
Avoid eating foods that are high in fat or cholesterol. Aspirin and pravastatin will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan.
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking aspirin and pravastatin. Alcohol can raise triglyceride levels, and may also damage your liver while you are taking aspirin and pravastatin. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains aspirin. Aspirin is contained in many medicines available over the counter. If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much aspirin.
There are many other drugs that can interact with aspirin and pravastatin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking aspirin and pravastatin?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to aspirin or pravastatin, or if you have:
liver disease;
asthma with nasal polyps;
aspirin-sensitive asthma or other allergic reactions; or
if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Before taking aspirin and pravastatin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
diabetes;
underactive thyroid;
- kidney disease;
congestive heart failure;
a recent history of stomach or intestinal bleeding;
a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia;
a muscle disorder; or
if you are a heavy drinker (3 or more alcoholic beverages per day).
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take aspirin and pravastatin.
FDA pregnancy category X. This medication can cause birth defects. Do not use aspirin and pravastatin if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication. Aspirin and pravastatin passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not take aspirin and pravastatin without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give this medication to anyone under 18 without the advice of a doctor. Aspirin should not be given to a child or teenager who has a fever, especially if the child also has flu symptoms or chicken pox. Aspirin can cause a serious and sometimes fatal condition called Reye's syndrome in children.
How should I take aspirin and pravastatin?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take aspirin and pravastatin with a full glass of water, unless your doctor has told you to limit your fluid intake.
Aspirin and pravastatin can be taken with or without food.
Aspirin and pravastatin is usually taken once a day. Try to take your dose at the same time each day. Follow your doctor's instructions.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
In rare cases, pravastatin can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. This condition can lead to kidney failure. Call your doctor at once if you have unexplained muscle pain or tenderness, muscle weakness, fever or flu symptoms, and dark colored urine.
Aspirin and pravastatin is only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet, exercise, and weight control. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely.
You may need to take aspirin and pravastatin on a long-term basis for the treatment of high cholesterol.
Store aspirin and pravastatin at room temperature, protected from moisture, heat, and light.
See also: Aspirin and pravastatin dosage (in more detail)
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
An overdose of pravastatin is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms. However, symptoms of an aspirin overdose may include ringing in your ears, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, rapid breathing, fever, seizure (convulsions), or coma.
What should I avoid while taking aspirin and pravastatin?
Avoid eating foods that are high in fat or cholesterol. Aspirin and pravastatin will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan.
Avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking this medication. Alcohol can raise triglyceride levels, and may also increase your risk of stomach bleeding or liver damage while taking aspirin and pravastatin. Do not use any other over-the-counter cold, allergy, or pain medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. Aspirin is contained in many medicines available over the counter. If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much aspirin. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains aspirin.
Avoid taking an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) while you are taking aspirin. NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), and others.
Aspirin and pravastatin side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using aspirin and pravastatin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
chest pain;
muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness with fever or flu symptoms and dark colored urine;
nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
black, bloody, or tarry stools;
coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds; or
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness.
Less serious side effects include:
mild stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea;
heartburn, gas, bloating, upset stomach;
tired feeling;
headache;
stuffy nose, cold or flu symptoms;
skin rash; or
general pain.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.
Aspirin and pravastatin Dosing Information
Usual Adult Dose for Hyperlipidemia:
Initial dose: 40 mg of pravastatin with either 81 mg or 325 mg of buffered aspirin orally once a day. In the event a patient requires a lower dosage of pravastatin, aspirin-pravastatin is also available with 20 mg of pravastatin.
Maintenance dose: the pravastatin component may be increased to 80 mg orally once a day (with 81 mg or 325 mg of buffered aspirin) if the desired cholesterol levels are not achieved.
It is recommended that this drug be taken with a full glass of water, unless the patient is fluid restricted.
Usual Adult Dose for Myocardial Infarction -- Prophylaxis:
Initial dose: 40 mg of pravastatin with either 81 mg or 325 mg of buffered aspirin orally once a day. In the event a patient requires a lower dosage of pravastatin, aspirin-pravastatin is also available with 20 mg of pravastatin.
Maintenance dose: the pravastatin component may be increased to 80 mg orally once a day (with 81 mg or 325 mg of buffered aspirin) if the desired cholesterol levels are not achieved.
It is recommended that this drug be taken with a full glass of water, unless the patient is fluid restricted.
Usual Adult Dose for Revascularization Procedures -- Prophylaxis:
Initial dose: 40 mg of pravastatin with either 81 mg or 325 mg of buffered aspirin orally once a day. In the event a patient requires a lower dosage of pravastatin, aspirin-pravastatin is also available with 20 mg of pravastatin.
Maintenance dose: the pravastatin component may be increased to 80 mg orally once a day (with 81 mg or 325 mg of buffered aspirin) if the desired cholesterol levels are not achieved.
It is recommended that this drug be taken with a full glass of water, unless the patient is fluid restricted.
Usual Adult Dose for Ischemic Stroke -- Prophylaxis:
Initial dose: 40 mg of pravastatin with either 81 mg or 325 mg of buffered aspirin orally once a day. In the event a patient requires a lower dosage of pravastatin, aspirin-pravastatin is also available with 20 mg of pravastatin.
Maintenance dose: the pravastatin component may be increased to 80 mg orally once a day (with 81 mg or 325 mg of buffered aspirin) if the desired cholesterol levels are not achieved.
It is recommended that this drug be taken with a full glass of water, unless the patient is fluid restricted.
What other drugs will affect aspirin and pravastatin?
Many drugs can interact with aspirin and pravastatin. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:
diltiazem (Dilacor, Cartia, Tiazac);
diabetes medications you take by mouth;
a diuretic (water pill);
gout medication;
seizure medication;
a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, others) or clarithromycin (Biaxin);
gemfibrozil (Lopid), clofibrate (Atromid-S), or fenofibrate (Tricor);
niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Slo-Niacin, others);
drugs that weaken your immune system such as cancer medicine or steroids, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf), sirolimus (Rapamune), tacrolimus (Prograf), and others;
an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan), or ketoconazole (Nizoral);
an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), and others; or
a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), betaxolol (Kerlone), bisoprolol (Zebeta, Ziac), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), timolol (Blocadren), and others.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with aspirin and pravastatin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
More aspirin and pravastatin resources
- Aspirin and pravastatin Dosage
- Aspirin and pravastatin Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Aspirin and pravastatin Drug Interactions
- Aspirin and pravastatin Support Group
- 0 Reviews for Aspirin and pravastatin - Add your own review/rating
Compare aspirin and pravastatin with other medications
- High Cholesterol
- Ischemic Stroke, Prophylaxis
- Myocardial Infarction, Prophylaxis
- Revascularization Procedures, Prophylaxis
Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about aspirin and pravastatin.
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