Atorvastatin Vs. Pravastatin: Drug Comparison

Atorvastatin is the active ingredient in brand-name medications including Lipitor^®. The information below is about brand name Lipitor. According to the FDA, “Generic medicines use the same active ingredients as brand-name medicines and work the same way, so they have the same risks and benefits as the brand-name medicines.”

Lipitor (atorvastatin) is a statin medication used to lower cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which reduces cholesterol production in the liver and helps lower LDL cholesterol while raising HDL cholesterol. Its FDA-approved indications include treating high cholesterol, preventing cardiovascular disease, and reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes in individuals with or at high risk for cardiovascular issues. Lipitor is available in tablet form, taken once daily. Common side effects include muscle pain, diarrhea, and nausea, while serious risks include liver damage and muscle breakdown. Caution is advised in patients taking other medications that affect liver function.

Pravastatin is a statin medication used to lower cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme responsible for cholesterol production in the liver, which helps reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing HDL cholesterol. Its FDA-approved indications include treating high cholesterol, preventing cardiovascular events like heart attacks or strokes, and managing lipid disorders in individuals at risk. Off-label uses may include managing lipid levels in individuals with genetic conditions such as familial hypercholesterolemia. Pravastatin is available in oral tablet form, taken once daily. Common side effects include muscle pain, nausea, and headache, while serious risks such as liver damage or muscle breakdown may occur.

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin)

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin)

Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) is indicated:

• To reduce the risk of:

  • Myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, revascularization procedures, and angina in adults with multiple risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) but without clinically evident CHD

  • MI and stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus with multiple risk factors for CHD but without clinically evident CHD

  • Non-fatal MI, fatal and non-fatal stroke, revascularization procedures, hospitalization for congestive heart failure, and angina in adults with clinically evident CHD

• As an adjunct to diet to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) in:

  • Adults with primary hyperlipidemia

  • Adults and pediatric patients aged 10 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH)

• As an adjunct to other LDL-C-lowering therapies to reduce LDL-C in adults and pediatric patients aged 10 years and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

• As an adjunct to diet for the treatment of adults with:

  • Primary dysbetaliproteinemia

  • Hypertriglyceridemia

Pravastatin is indicated:

• To reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, myocardial revascularization procedures, and cardiovascular mortality in adults with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) without clinically evident coronary heart disease (CHD)

• To reduce the risk of coronary death, myocardial infarction, myocardial revascularization procedures, stroke or transient ischemic attack, and slow the progression of coronary atherosclerosis in adults with clinically evident CHD

• As an adjunct to diet to reduce LDL-C in adults with primary hyperlipidemia

• As an adjunct to diet to reduce LDL-C in pediatric patients ages 8 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH)

• As an adjunct to diet for the treatment of adults with:

  • Primary dysbetalipoproteinemia

  • Hypertriglyceridemia

• Typically taken orally once daily

• Comes in 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, and 80 mg tablets

• Typically taken orally once daily

• Comes in 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, and 80 mg tablets

Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥5%) are:

• Inflammation of the nose and throat

• Joint pain

• Diarrhea

• Pain in extremity

• Urinary tract infection

In short-term clinical trials, the most commonly reported adverse reactions (≥2% and greater than placebo) were:

• Musculoskeletal pain

• Nausea/Vomiting

• Upper respiratory infection

• Diarrhea

• Headache

• Acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis

• Hypersensitivity to atorvastatin or any excipient in Lipitor

• Drug interactions: rifampin, oral contraceptives, digoxin, see full prescribing information for details regarding concomitant use of Lipitor with other drugs or grapefruit juice that increase the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis

• Hypersensitivity to pravastatin or any excipient in pravastatin

• Acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis

• Drug interactions: bile acid sequestrants, see the full prescribing information for details regarding concomitant use of pravastatin with other drugs that increase the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis

• Myopathy and rhabdomyolysis

• Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM)

• Liver dysfunction

• Myopathy and rhabdomyolysis

• Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM)

• Liver dysfunction

*This information is from the label for brand name Lipitor^®. See the Full Prescribing Information for more complete information. Atorvastatin the active ingredient in Lipitor, may also be the active ingredient in other medications, and this information may not be accurate for all medications that include the active ingredient atorvastatin.

*This information is from the pravastatin sodium label used by Accord Healthcare Inc. See the Full Prescribing Information for more complete information. This information may not be accurate for all medications that include the active ingredient pravastatin.