Two medicines, side by side
Lovastatin vs pravastatin
Lovastatin and pravastatin are both labeled for heart attack and coronary artery disease and high cholesterol. Drugs@FDA records approvals of lovastatin since 1987 and of pravastatin since 1991. Pharmacies paid $0.0436 per lovastatin 20 mg tablet and $0.058 per pravastatin sodium 20 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026).
Check it at the source: the lovastatin FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 6, 2026); the pravastatin FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 31, 2026).
Highlights of the lovastatin record
Lovastatin (Mevacor) · label of May 6, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsTherapy with lovastatin tablets USP should be a component of multiple risk factor intervention in those individuals with dyslipidemia at risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 31, 1987
- Generic labelers
- 19 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0436 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 4
Highlights of the pravastatin record
Pravastatin (Pravachol) · label of July 31, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsPravastatin sodium tablets are indicated: To reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, myocardial revascularization procedures, and cardiovascular mortality in adults with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) without clinically evident coronary heart disease (CHD). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 31, 1991
- Generic labelers
- 37 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.058 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 17
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Lovastatin label of May 6, 2026, Pravastatin label of July 31, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do lovastatin and pravastatin differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.
Generics: lovastatin since 2001; pravastatin since 2006 (Drugs@FDA).
| Lovastatin | Pravastatin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High cholesterol, Heart attack and coronary artery disease | Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High cholesterol, High triglycerides |
| Pharmacologic class | HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor | HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Pravastatin is a reversible inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme that converts HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a precursor of cholesterol. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Following single dose oral administration of 14 C-pravastatin, the radioactive elimination t ½ for pravastatin is 1.8 hours in humans and the elimination half-life (t ½ ) for total radioactivity (pravastatin plus … |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | August 31, 1987 | October 31, 1991 |
| First generic approved | December 17, 2001 | April 24, 2006 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 19 labelers | 37 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0436 per tablet (Lovastatin 20 mg tablet) | $0.058 per tablet (Pravastatin sodium 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -6% | -18% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 4 | 17 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 25,526 | 19,683 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to lovastatin
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions