Lovastatin and Erythromycin Interaction
Drug interaction information between Lovastatin and Erythromycin.
Lovastatin and Erythromycin have a documented moderate interaction in FDA labeling.
FDA drug labeling documents a moderate-severity interaction between Lovastatin and Erythromycin. This page displays the available source-record category and label text. The category is not an individual risk estimate or medication-combination direction.
How They Interact
Erythromycin blocks the natural process your body uses to get rid of lovastatin. This causes lovastatin to stay in your blood longer, which can be toxic to your muscles.
FDA Label Information
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 ).
Lovastatin Also Interacts With
- Darunavir major
- Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir major
- Spironolactone moderate
- Ketoconazole moderate
- Verapamil moderate
Erythromycin Also Interacts With
- Eplerenone major
- Pitavastatin major
- Risperidone major
- Sildenafil major
- Lefamulin moderate
Frequently Asked Questions
What SPL severity band is on file for Lovastatin + Erythromycin?
Compiled FDA labeling labels this pair moderate. That is a source-record field, not an individual medication-combination decision.
Which drug in this pair has the larger labeled-interaction portfolio?
Erythromycin has 63 labeled pairs on file vs Lovastatin's 30. In the moderate band specifically: Lovastatin has 17 (also Spironolactone, Ketoconazole, Verapamil, Cyclosporine); Erythromycin has 6 (also Lefamulin, Midazolam, Pravastatin, Rivaroxaban).
What mechanism field is on file for Lovastatin and Erythromycin?
Erythromycin blocks the natural process your body uses to get rid of lovastatin. This causes lovastatin to stay in your blood longer, which can be toxic to your muscles.
Erythromycin carries more major-labeled pairs than Lovastatin
SPL source-record counts only. This page's band is moderate · classes on file: Lovastatin (HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin)); Erythromycin (Macrolide Antibiotic).
Erythromycin has 4 major-labeled pairs vs Lovastatin's 2. This page itself is in the moderate band, not the major band.
2 major · 17 moderate · 11 minor · 30 total
- Other moderate peers for Lovastatin
- Spironolactone
- Ketoconazole
- Verapamil
- Cyclosporine
4 major · 6 moderate · 53 minor · 63 total
- Other moderate peers for Erythromycin
- Lefamulin
- Midazolam
- Pravastatin
- Rivaroxaban
Sources: FDA Drug Labels (SPL) via openFDA (2026). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This registry does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.