Pravastatin Dosages for Adults and Children: Your GoodRx Guide

Pravastatin is in a class of medications called statins. If you have high cholesterol or heart disease, pravastatin may be an option your healthcare team considers for you. As with all statins, your pravastatin dosage often depends on your treatment goals.

But how much pravastatin is safe to take? And is it possible to take too much? Below, we cover typical pravastatin dosages, reasons why you may be prescribed a different dosage, and more.

What’s the typical pravastatin dosage for adults?

Pravastatin is FDA approved to lower high cholesterol and high triglycerides from different causes in adults. It can also help lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other related events in certain people at high risk.

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Pravastatin dosages range from low to moderate intensity. Lower pravastatin doses (10 mg or 20 mg daily) reduces your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by less than 30%. Higher pravastatin doses (40 mg or 80 mg daily) can reduce LDL by 30% to less than 50%. Because of this, the pravastatin dosage for adults often depends on your cholesterol levels and treatment goals.

For most people, the typical starting pravastatin dosage is 40 mg once daily. Certain people may start with a lower dose, such as 10 mg once daily. If needed, your dosage may be increased up to 80 mg once daily.

When should pravastatin be taken?

You can take pravastatin at any time of day, but it’s recommended to take it in the evening. Be sure to take your dose at the same time each day. And it doesn’t matter if you take it with food or on an empty stomach.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Pharmacist tips: Pharmacists discuss the best time to take cholesterol medications and other tips to help you get the best results.

• What to expect: Do you get nauseated after taking pravastatin? Learn more about pravastatin side effects and what you can do to manage them.

• How they compare: Pravastatin belongs to a class of medications known as statins. See how statins compare on dosage, interactions, and how much they lower cholesterol.

What’s the typical pravastatin dosage for children?

Pravastatin is also approved to treat an inherited (passed down) condition called heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) in children ages 8 and older. The typical pravastatin dosage depends on the child’s age:

• Ages 8 to 13 years old: 20 mg once daily

• Ages 14 to 18 years old: 40 mg once daily

Doses higher than what’s specified above haven’t been studied in those age groups.

Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions or interactions?

Medical conditions and drug interactions can sometimes influence how pravastatin affects you. In some cases, your pravastatin dosage may need to be adjusted to prevent it from building up in your body.

Kidney problems

Your body partially gets rid of pravastatin through your kidneys. If you have mild to moderate kidney problems, your pravastatin dosage likely doesn’t need to be adjusted. But for people with severe kidney problems, the recommended starting pravastatin dosage is 10 mg by mouth daily. 

Drug interactions

Pravastatin is broken down by your liver. Sometimes, other medications can prevent your liver from doing this properly. If you take these medications with pravastatin, your prescriber may lower your pravastatin dosage.

• Cyclosporine (Sandimmune): The recommended starting pravastatin dosage is 10 mg once daily at bedtime, and up to a maximum of 20 mg once daily.

• Clarithromycin: Your pravastatin dosage may be limited to 40 mg once daily.

The best thing you can do is to keep an accurate medication list. Be sure to share it with your prescriber and pharmacist initially and after any changes are made.

What happens if you miss a dose of pravastatin?

It’s best to take your pravastatin dose at the same time every day. But if you miss your dose, you can take it as soon as you remember. However, if it’s getting close to your next dose, skip your missed dose and resume your usual schedule. Don’t double up or take extra doses.

Your prescriber may have more specific instructions for what to do if you miss your pravastatin dose, so you should follow their guidance. If you’re often forgetting to take pravastatin, medication reminder apps can be a helpful tool to remind you.

What should you do if you take too much pravastatin?

Statins, including pravastatin, can cause side effects such as muscle pain, headache, and stomach pain. If you take too much pravastatin, you may be more likely to experience side effects. And in rare cases, this can result in serious muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis), followed by kidney failure.

Signs and symptoms of serious muscle damage include muscle pain, weakness, and tea-colored urine. If you notice them, talk to your healthcare team right away. If your symptoms seem life-threatening, go to the nearest ER.

If you think you’ve taken too much pravastatin, contact your healthcare provider or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance.

How to save on pravastatin

There are ways to save on pravastatin, which is available as a lower-cost generic. With a free GoodRx discount, you could save over 80% off the average retail price. Generic pravastatin’s price is as low as $14.40 at certain pharmacies.

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Written by:

Brian Leonard, PharmD, BCACP, BCGP

Brian Leonard earned his doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and is board certified in Ambulatory Care and Geriatric Pharmacy.

Edited by:

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy content for GoodRx. She has over a decade of experience as a pharmacist and has worked in clinical, academic, and administrative roles.

Reviewed by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

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