lovastatin vs ranolazine

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Side-by-side comparison of lovastatin and ranolazine. 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

Ranolazine The risk of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, may be increased by concomitant administration of ranolazine.

Drug Class
lovastatin HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin)
ranolazine Late Sodium Current Inhibitor (Antianginal)
Type
lovastatin Prescription
ranolazine Prescription
Summary
lovastatin

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

ranolazine

Ranolazine extended-release tablets help treat chronic angina (chest pain). It can be used with other heart medicines.

What It Treats
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.

ranolazine

Ranolazine is used to treat chronic angina, which is chest pain that keeps coming back. It can help you have fewer angina episodes. You can take this medicine with other drugs like beta-blockers or nitrates.

How It Works
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.

ranolazine

Ranolazine works by affecting the sodium channels in your heart cells. This helps to improve blood flow to your heart. It reduces the amount of calcium in your heart, which can help prevent angina.

Common Side Effects
lovastatin
  • Abdominal pain
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Gas
  • Nausea
ranolazine
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Constipation
  • Nausea
FAERS Reports
lovastatin
  • Fatigue 1,518
  • Nausea 1,396
  • Diarrhoea 1,251
  • Dyspnoea 1,209
  • Dizziness 1,147
ranolazine
  • Death 816
  • Myocardial Infarction 640
  • Chest Pain 605
  • Angina Pectoris 594
  • Stent Placement 582
Serious Warnings
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.

ranolazine

Ranolazine can cause changes in your heart's electrical activity (QT prolongation). If you have kidney problems, your doctor should check your kidney function. If you develop kidney failure, stop taking ranolazine.

Pregnancy
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.

ranolazine

It is not known if ranolazine can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if ranolazine passes into breast milk. Discuss with your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This lovastatin vs ranolazine Comparison

lovastatin is classified in the HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) drug class, while ranolazine sits within the Late Sodium Current Inhibitor (Antianginal) 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, lovastatin has 6,521 submissions while ranolazine has 3,237. 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 ranolazine can raise the levels of lovastatin in your blood. this increases the risk of a serious muscle condition called rhabdomyolysis.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for lovastatin or ranolazine.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.