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colchicine vs pravastatin

Side-by-side comparison of colchicine 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

7.3 Colchicine The risk of myopathy/rhabdomyolysis is increased with concomitant administration of colchicine [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]. 7.3 Colchicine The risk of myopathy/rhabdomyolysis is increased with concomitant administration of colchicine [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ].

Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor you closely for any signs of muscle weakness or pain while you are taking both medications.

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

pravastatin

Pravastatin is a drug that lowers cholesterol. It belongs to a class of drugs called statins.

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.

pravastatin

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.

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.

pravastatin

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.

Common Side Effects
colchicine
  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
pravastatin
  • Muscle pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Headache
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
pravastatin
  • Tiredness 1,261
  • Diarrhea 1,095
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 954
  • Shortness of breath 928
  • Headache 842
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.

pravastatin

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.

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.

pravastatin

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.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This colchicine vs pravastatin Comparison

colchicine is classified in the Anti-Gout Agent 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, colchicine has 9,248 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 taking these two drugs together increases the risk of developing severe muscle pain or a dangerous type of muscle breakdown.. 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 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.