clarithromycin vs pravastatin
Side-by-side comparison of clarithromycin and pravastatin. 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
(2.6, 7.1) Clarithromycin: combination increases exposure. 7.2 Clarithromycin and Other Macrolide Antibiotics The risk of myopathy/rhabdomyolysis is increased with concomitant administration of clarithromycin. Limit pravastatin to 40 mg once daily for concomitant use with clarithromycin [see Dosage and Administration (2.7) , Warnings and Precautions (5.1) , and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ].
Recommendation: Your doctor should limit your pravastatin dose to no more than 40 mg once daily while you are taking this antibiotic.
Biaxin
Pravachol
Clarithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infections. It belongs to a class of drugs called macrolides.
Pravastatin is a drug that lowers cholesterol. It belongs to a class of drugs called statins.
Clarithromycin treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria. It can treat bronchitis, sinus infections, pneumonia, and throat/tonsil infections. It also treats skin infections, ear infections in children, certain mycobacterial infections, and H. pylori infections that cause ulcers.
Pravastatin helps lower bad cholesterol and fats (like triglycerides) in your blood, while raising good cholesterol. It can help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries. It is used along with a healthy diet to treat high cholesterol and other fat disorders in adults and children 8 years and older.
Clarithromycin works by stopping the growth of bacteria. It prevents bacteria from making proteins they need to survive. This helps your body fight off the infection.
Pravastatin works by blocking a substance your body needs to make cholesterol. This helps to lower the amount of cholesterol in your blood. Lowering cholesterol helps to prevent heart disease and stroke.
- • Abdominal pain
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Taste changes
- • Muscle pain
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Diarrhea
- • Headache
- Drug Interaction 2,906
- Nausea 2,214
- Dyspnoea 1,959
- Diarrhoea 1,937
- Malaise 1,650
- Tiredness 1,261
- Diarrhea 1,095
- Feeling sick to your stomach 954
- Shortness of breath 928
- Headache 842
Clarithromycin can cause severe allergic reactions. Stop taking it and get medical help right away if you have signs of a reaction. This medicine can also cause heart rhythm problems (QT prolongation) and liver problems. Tell your doctor if you have heart or liver issues. Clarithromycin may increase the risk of death in patients with coronary artery disease.
Pravastatin can sometimes cause muscle problems, including muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. In rare cases, this can lead to serious muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis, which can cause kidney failure. Tell your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel sick. This medicine can also cause liver problems. Your doctor should do blood tests to check your liver before you start taking pravastatin and if you have any symptoms of liver problems.
Clarithromycin is not recommended during pregnancy unless there are no other options. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if clarithromycin passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.
You should not take pravastatin if you are pregnant. It can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking pravastatin, stop taking it right away and tell your doctor.
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How to Read This clarithromycin vs pravastatin Comparison
clarithromycin is classified in the Macrolide Antibiotic drug class, while pravastatin sits within the HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, clarithromycin has 10,666 submissions while pravastatin has 5,080. 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 clarithromycin increases the amount of pravastatin that stays in your body. this higher level of medicine in your blood increases the risk of serious muscle damage.. 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 clarithromycin and pravastatin - 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.