cholestyramine vs naproxen
Side-by-side comparison of cholestyramine and naproxen. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
Cholestyramine Clinical Impact: Concomitant administration of cholestyramine can delay the absorption of naproxen. Intervention: Concomitant administration of cholestyramine with naproxen tablets or naproxen sodium tablets is not recommended.
Recommendation: It is not recommended to take these two medications at the same time.
Questran
Aleve, Naprosyn
Cholestyramine is a medicine that helps lower high cholesterol levels in your blood. It works by preventing your body from absorbing cholesterol in the intestines.
Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It helps reduce pain, swelling, and stiffness.
This medicine is used with a diet to lower high cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol). It may also help if you have high triglycerides, but it's not the best choice if high triglycerides are your main problem. Lowering cholesterol helps reduce your risk of heart disease.
Naproxen is used to relieve pain and inflammation. You can use it for arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It also treats ankylosing spondylitis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Naproxen can help with tendonitis, bursitis, gout, menstrual cramps, and general pain.
Cholestyramine is a resin that binds to bile acids in your intestines. Bile acids help digest fats, including cholesterol. By binding to bile acids, cholestyramine prevents them from being reabsorbed, so your body uses cholesterol to make more bile acids, which lowers cholesterol levels in your blood.
Naproxen works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain and inflammation. It blocks the production of prostaglandins. These substances contribute to the symptoms of pain, swelling, and fever.
- • Constipation
- • Heartburn
- • Abdominal pain
- • Nausea
- • Constipation
- • Diarrhea
- Diarrhea 1,631
- Tiredness 878
- Feeling sick to your stomach 783
- Joint pain 622
- Head pain 543
- Pain 8,756
- Tiredness 7,338
- Joint pain 7,244
- Feeling sick to your stomach 7,063
- Headache 5,717
Since cholestyramine can affect how your body absorbs other medicines, take other drugs at least 1 hour before or 4 to 6 hours after taking cholestyramine.
Naproxen may increase your risk of serious heart problems like heart attack or stroke, which can be fatal. This risk may happen early in treatment and increases with longer use. You should not take naproxen if you are having heart bypass surgery. Naproxen can also increase your risk of serious stomach and intestine problems, including bleeding, ulcers, and holes, which can be fatal. These problems can occur without warning. Elderly people are at higher risk.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Cholestyramine may affect how you absorb vitamins, so your doctor may recommend supplements. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while breastfeeding.
Using naproxen after 20 weeks of pregnancy can cause kidney problems in the unborn baby, leading to low amniotic fluid. Avoid using naproxen at 30 weeks of pregnancy or later because it can cause the baby's heart to close too early. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
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How to Read This cholestyramine vs naproxen Comparison
cholestyramine is classified in the Bile Acid Sequestrant drug class, while naproxen sits within the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, cholestyramine has 4,457 submissions while naproxen has 36,118. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to cholestyramine can slow down the absorption of naproxen into your system.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between cholestyramine and naproxen - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.