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colchicine vs pitavastatin

Side-by-side comparison of colchicine and pitavastatin. 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

Colchicine Clinical Impact: Cases of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis have been reported with concomitant use of colchicine with statins, including pitavastatin tablets. Intervention: Consider the risk/benefit of concomitant use of colchicine with pitavastatin tablets.

Recommendation: Your doctor should carefully consider if the benefits of taking both drugs are worth the risks.

Drug Class
colchicine Anti-Gout Agent
pitavastatin HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin)
Type
colchicine Prescription
pitavastatin Prescription
Summary
colchicine

Colchicine is a medicine used to prevent or treat gout flares and Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF). It works by reducing inflammation and pain.

pitavastatin

Pitavastatin (Livalo) is a drug that helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) in your blood. It is used along with a healthy diet.

What It Treats
colchicine

Colchicine is used to prevent and treat gout flares in adults. Gout flares cause sudden, severe pain, redness, and swelling in your joints. Colchicine is also used to treat Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) in adults and children ages 4 and older. FMF causes recurring fevers and pain in the abdomen, chest, or joints.

pitavastatin

Pitavastatin is used to lower LDL-C (bad cholesterol) in adults. It is for adults who have high cholesterol or who have a genetic condition called heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). This medicine works best when you also follow a low-cholesterol diet.

How It Works
colchicine

Colchicine reduces inflammation in the body. It does this by blocking certain processes that cause swelling and pain. This helps to relieve gout flares and manage FMF symptoms.

pitavastatin

Pitavastatin belongs to a class of drugs called statins. It works by blocking a substance your body needs to make cholesterol. This helps to lower the amount of cholesterol in your blood.

Common Side Effects
colchicine
  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
pitavastatin
  • Muscle pain
  • Constipation
  • Back pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Pain in your arms or legs
FAERS Reports
colchicine
  • Diarrhea 2,661
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 1,940
  • Feeling very tired 1,745
  • Difficulty breathing 1,466
  • Sudden damage to the kidneys 1,436
pitavastatin
  • Muscle pain 408
  • Diarrhea 335
  • Feeling dizzy 285
  • Difficulty breathing 281
  • Loss of appetite 280
Serious Warnings
colchicine

Taking too much colchicine can be fatal in both adults and children. Keep this medicine out of the reach of children. Colchicine can also cause serious blood problems and muscle weakness. Certain medicines can interact with colchicine and cause life-threatening problems. Talk to your doctor about all the medicines you take.

pitavastatin

Pitavastatin can cause muscle problems, including myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Tell your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel sick. Pitavastatin can also cause liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before and during treatment.

Pregnancy
colchicine

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Colchicine may harm your unborn baby. It is not known if colchicine passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking colchicine while breastfeeding.

pitavastatin

Do not take pitavastatin if you are pregnant. It can harm your unborn baby. Breastfeeding is also not recommended while taking this medicine.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This colchicine vs pitavastatin Comparison

colchicine is classified in the Anti-Gout Agent drug class, while pitavastatin 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, colchicine has 9,248 submissions while pitavastatin has 1,589. 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 taking these two drugs together can increase 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 colchicine and pitavastatin - 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.