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ketoconazole vs lovastatin

Side-by-side comparison of ketoconazole and lovastatin. 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

Strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, clarithromycin, telithromycin, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, nefazodone, erythromycin, and cobicistat-containing products), and grapefruit juice increase the risk of myopathy by reducing the elimination of lovastatin (see CONTRAINDICATIONS , WARNINGS , Myopathy/Rhabdomyolysis , and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY , Pharmacokinetics ).

Recommendation: Avoid taking these two medicines together. Your doctor may need to stop your lovastatin treatment while you are taking this antifungal medication.

Drug Class
ketoconazole Azole Antifungal
lovastatin HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin)
Type
ketoconazole Over-the-Counter
lovastatin Prescription
Summary
ketoconazole

Ketoconazole shampoo is an antifungal medicine. It treats a fungal infection on your skin.

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
ketoconazole

This shampoo treats tinea versicolor, a fungal infection. This infection can cause patches on your skin that are lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. These patches may appear on your trunk, neck, arms, and upper thighs.

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
ketoconazole

Ketoconazole is an antifungal medicine. It works by stopping the growth of the fungus. This helps to clear up the infection.

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
ketoconazole

No common side effects listed.

lovastatin
  • Abdominal pain
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Gas
  • Nausea
FAERS Reports
ketoconazole
  • Feeling tired 929
  • Itching 902
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 834
  • Skin breakout 802
  • Loose stool 760
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
ketoconazole

You should not use this shampoo if you are allergic to ketoconazole or any of the other ingredients.

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
ketoconazole

It is not known if ketoconazole shampoo can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine.

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 ketoconazole vs lovastatin Comparison

ketoconazole is classified in the Azole Antifungal 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 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, ketoconazole has 4,227 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to ketoconazole stops the body from breaking down lovastatin. this causes the medicine to build up in your blood, which can lead to 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 ketoconazole 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.