Lovastatin and Ketoconazole Interaction
Drug interaction information between Lovastatin and Ketoconazole.
Lovastatin and Ketoconazole have a documented moderate interaction in FDA labeling.
FDA drug labeling documents a moderate-severity interaction between Lovastatin and Ketoconazole. 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
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.
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
- Verapamil moderate
- Cyclosporine moderate
Ketoconazole Also Interacts With
- Alfuzosin major
- Dronedarone major
- Ranolazine major
- Saxagliptin major
- Sildenafil major
Frequently Asked Questions
What SPL severity band is on file for Lovastatin + Ketoconazole?
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?
Ketoconazole has 113 labeled pairs on file vs Lovastatin's 30. In the moderate band specifically: Lovastatin has 17 (also Spironolactone, Verapamil, Cyclosporine, Erythromycin); Ketoconazole has 22 (also Alprazolam, Aprepitant, Budesonide/Formoterol, Dexamethasone).
What mechanism field is on file for Lovastatin and Ketoconazole?
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.
Ketoconazole 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)); Ketoconazole (Azole Antifungal).
Ketoconazole has 6 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
- Verapamil
- Cyclosporine
- Erythromycin
6 major · 22 moderate · 85 minor · 113 total
- Other moderate peers for Ketoconazole
- Alprazolam
- Aprepitant
- Budesonide/Formoterol
- Dexamethasone
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.