Novo Pravastatin Side Effects

The World Health Association reports that high cholesterol levels account for 7.9 percent of all deaths worldwide each year, or about 4.4 million people. In addition to changes in your diet and exercise, prescription statin medications assist with lowering dangerous levels of LDL cholesterol. In Canada, a popular statin drug is Novo-Pravastatin, which is effective in treating high cholesterol but poses a risk of certain side effects in some patients.

Common Side Effects

• Approximately 7 percent of Novo-Pravastatin users report nausea and vomiting, making these the most common side effect of the drug. Diarrhea and headaches are the next most-common side effects. An average of 4 percent to 5 percent of patients who take Novo-Pravastatin experience chest pain, skin rashes, constipation, abdominal pain and sneezing.

Other Side Effects

• Novo-Pravastatin also has the potential to cause a number of other troublesome or annoying, but not dangerous, side effects. Some patients experience gastrointestinal side effects from the drug, such as flatulence and heartburn. Neurologic and psychiatric side effects of Novo-Pravastatin include dizziness, insomnia, depression, anxiety, visual blurriness and double vision. Fatigue, muscle pain, cramps, frequent urination and coughing also occur in some patients.

Drug Interactions

• There are some medications that produce unwanted side effects when used in conjunction with Novo-Pravastatin. Fibrates, niacin supplements, cyclosporine and erythomyacin have the potential to cause a dangerous breakdown of your muscles called rhabdomyolysis when used concomitantly with Novo-Pravastatin. If you are taking Cyclosporine for a cardiovascular condition, you may experience an increased amount of side effects from Novo-Pravastatin. Using Gemfibrozil along with Novo-Pravastatin increases the likelihood of increased urination or even kidney damage.

Risks

• In addition to minor side effects and the risk of interactions, Novo-Pravastatin has the potential to cause serious medical complications. While taking the drug, there is a risk of sudden liver failure or a steady decline of liver functioning over time. In rare instances, use of Novo-Pravastatin causes Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a life-threatening blistering skin rash that requires emergency medical care. In addition, some patients are allergic to the drug and experience severe reactions, such as an inability to breathe after taking Novo-Pravastatin.

Considerations

• Because of its potential for damaging effects to the liver, doctors do not prescribe Novo-Pravastatin to patients with a history of liver disease or who frequently drink alcohol. Because there is not yet sufficient evidence that the drug has no unwanted effects upon the fetus, doctors typically do not prescribe Novo-Pravastatin for pregnant women. In addition, use of Novo-Pravastatin is not for children under the age of 18. People over the age of 70 typically receive regular liver-function tests while taking Novo-Pravastatin in order to detect any damage to the liver quickly.