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glipizide vs lovastatin

Side-by-side comparison of glipizide and lovastatin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents In pharmacokinetic studies of lovastatin in hypercholesterolemic non-insulin dependent diabetic patients, there was no drug interaction with glipizide or with chlorpropamide (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY , Clinical Studies in Adults ).

Recommendation: You can take these medications together as prescribed by your doctor without special adjustments.

Drug Class
glipizide Sulfonylurea
lovastatin HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin)
Type
glipizide Prescription
lovastatin Prescription
Summary
glipizide

Glipizide is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It works along with diet and exercise.

lovastatin

Lovastatin is a medicine that helps lower cholesterol levels in your blood. It belongs to a class of drugs called statins.

What It Treats
glipizide

Glipizide is used to improve blood sugar control in adults who have type 2 diabetes. It is meant to be used in addition to diet and exercise. This medicine helps your body use insulin better and lowers blood sugar levels.

lovastatin

Lovastatin is used to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart problems. It can help prevent heart attacks, unstable angina (chest pain), and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries. It's also used to slow down the hardening of arteries in people who already have heart disease. Lovastatin can also be used in children 10-17 years of age with high cholesterol due to genetic causes.

How It Works
glipizide

Glipizide belongs to a class of drugs called sulfonylureas. It works by helping your pancreas release more insulin. Insulin then helps your body use sugar from the food you eat.

lovastatin

Lovastatin 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
glipizide
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Skin rash
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
lovastatin
  • Abdominal pain
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Gas
  • Nausea
FAERS Reports
glipizide
  • High blood sugar 6,673
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 4,442
  • Loose, watery stools 3,266
  • Feeling tired 2,999
  • Weight loss 2,811
lovastatin
  • Feeling tired 1,519
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 1,395
  • Loose, watery stools 1,250
  • Difficulty breathing 1,210
  • Feeling lightheaded 1,146
Serious Warnings
glipizide

Glipizide can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Watch for symptoms like shakiness, sweating, confusion, and rapid heartbeat. If you have very low blood sugar, get medical help right away. Certain drugs can increase the risk of low blood sugar. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take.

lovastatin

Lovastatin can cause muscle problems, including muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), which can lead to kidney damage. The risk is higher if you take certain other medicines with lovastatin. You should not take lovastatin if you have liver problems or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Pregnancy
glipizide

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if glipizide will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the best way to control your blood sugar during pregnancy. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking this medication.

lovastatin

You should not take lovastatin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It can harm your unborn baby. If you are a woman who could become pregnant, use effective birth control while taking lovastatin.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This glipizide vs lovastatin Comparison

glipizide is classified in the Sulfonylurea drug class, while lovastatin 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, glipizide has 20,191 submissions while lovastatin has 6,520. 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 minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to studies show these drugs do not interfere with each other when taken at the same time.. 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 glipizide and lovastatin - 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.