Pravastatin Sodium Tablets: Uses, Benefits & Side Effects

Pravastatin sodium, marketed under the brand names Pravachol among others, is a medication taken by mouth once a day to lower high cholesterol.

The cholesterol-lowering efficacy of pravastatin is similar to that of atorvastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin, and rosuvastatin.

Like the other statins, pravastatin lowers the blood levels of total and LDL cholesterol by a variety of mechanisms of action which lead to a fall in hepatic cholesterol synthesis. As it can decrease LDL without substantially changing high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels or serum triglycerides, it has similar cardiovascular and cerebrovascular benefits over statins, the use of niacin or the resins.