Livalo (pitavastatin) is a prescription oral tablet that’s used to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in some adults and children. Livalo can interact with certain other medications. For example, this drug can interact with certain antibiotics and some other cholesterol medications.
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about Livalo’s possible interactions. And for more information about Livalo, including details about its uses, see this article.
Before you start taking Livalo, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Livalo interacts with supplements, herbs, and vitamins, see the “Are there other interactions with Livalo?” section below.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The table below lists drugs that may interact with Livalo. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Livalo. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.
* To learn more about this interaction, see the “When should I avoid Livalo?” section below.
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Livalo. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Livalo for you. These are known as contraindications. The list below includes contraindications of Livalo.
If you have certain liver problems. Livalo may cause liver problems in some people. If you have liver failure or liver cirrhosis (scarring), your doctor likely will not prescribe Livalo for you. This is because taking the drug could worsen your liver condition. Your doctor can recommend other treatments that may be better options for you.
If you take cyclosporine. Cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune) is a medication used to treat certain autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis. It’s also used to help prevent rejection of organ transplants. Cyclosporine can raise the level of Livalo in your body, which increases your risk of muscle pain and muscle damage.
Due to this risk, your doctor will likely not prescribe Livalo if you take cyclosporine. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Livalo or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Livalo. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before you start taking Livalo, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Livalo is safe for you to take.
Livalo is not known to interact with alcohol. But Livalo and alcohol can cause some similar side effects, such as headache, nausea, and diarrhea. So you may be more likely to experience these side effects if you drink alcohol while taking Livalo.
In addition, Livalo may cause liver damage. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can also lead to liver damage. So you may have a higher risk of liver damage if you drink excessively while taking Livalo.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol while taking Livalo, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Livalo.
Interaction with fibrates
Livalo can interact with fibrates, which are drugs used to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Examples of fibrates include:
What could happen
Livalo and fibrates can both cause muscle pain and muscle damage. So taking Livalo with a fibrate, especially gemfibrozil, could raise your risk of these side effects. Your doctor will not likely not prescribe Livalo with gemfibrozil unless no other treatment options are suitable.
What you can do
If you take Livalo with a fibrate, contact your doctor if you have unusual muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel unwell. These may be symptoms of muscle damage.
If you have symptoms of muscle damage, your doctor will likely recommend stopping Livalo. They can discuss other treatment options with you.
Interaction with erythromycin
Erythromycin (Eryc, Ery-Tab, EryPed, EES) is an antibiotic medication used to treat certain bacterial infections.
What could happen
Taking Livalo with erythromycin can increase the amount of Livalo in your body. This could raise your risk of side effects from Livalo, especially muscle pain and muscle damage. If you take Livalo with erythromycin, your doctor will likely prescribe a lower dosage for you.
What you can do
If you take Livalo with erythromycin, contact your doctor if you have unusual muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel unwell. These may be symptoms of muscle damage.
If you have symptoms of muscle damage, your doctor will likely have you stop taking Livalo. They can tell you about other treatment options.
Interaction with colchicine
Livalo can interact with colchicine (Colcrys, Mitigare, Gloperba, Lodoco), which is a medication used to treat gout.
What could happen
Livalo and colchicine can both cause muscle damage. So taking these drugs together could raise your risk of this side effect.
What you can do
If you take Livalo with colchicine, contact your doctor if you have unusual muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel unwell. These may be symptoms of muscle damage.
If you have symptoms of muscle damage, your doctor will likely have you stop taking Livalo. Your doctor can discuss other treatment options with you.
Livalo may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Livalo.
Does Livalo interact with supplements?
Livalo isn’t known to interact with supplements. But this doesn’t mean interactions with Livalo will not be recognized in the future. For example, new supplements may be approved that interact with Livalo.
Before you start taking Livalo, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
Livalo and herbs
There are currently no reports of Livalo interacting with herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with herbs won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Livalo.
Livalo and vitamins
There are currently no reports of Livalo interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Livalo.
Does Livalo interact with food?
There are currently no reports of Livalo interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Livalo, talk with your doctor.
Does Livalo interact with vaccines or lab tests?
There are currently no reports of Livalo interacting with vaccines or lab tests. But this doesn’t mean that such interactions won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor first if you need to receive any vaccines or have lab tests done during your Livalo treatment.
Does Livalo interact with cannabis or CBD?
There are currently no reports of Livalo interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Livalo.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Livalo. Before taking Livalo, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Livalo is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Livalo include:
Liver problems. Livalo may cause liver damage. If you already have a liver condition, taking Livalo could worsen it. Due to this risk, your doctor will likely not prescribe Livalo if you have liver failure or liver cirrhosis (scarring). Talk with your doctor to learn more about your treatment options.
Kidney problems. Livalo may cause muscle damage.If you have kidney problems, such as kidney failure, you may have a higher risk of this muscle damage from Livalo. This is because having kidney problems may cause muscle issues, such as muscle pain, cramping, and weakness. Due to this risk, if you have moderate or severe kidney problems, your doctor may prescribe a lower Livalo dosage for you.
Low thyroid levels. If you have low thyroid hormone levels, you may have a higher risk of muscle damage with Livalo. This is because having low thyroid levels may cause muscle problems, such as muscle pain, weakness, and stiffness. Talk with your doctor about whether Livalo is right for you.
Diabetes. Livalo may increase your blood sugar level. If you have diabetes, this could make your blood sugar harder to manage. Talk with your doctor about whether Livalo is right for you.
Age 65 years or older. If you’re age 65 years or older,you may have a higher risk of muscle damage with Livalo. Due to this risk, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Livalo for you.
Pregnancy. Livalo may cause fetal harm if taken during pregnancy. Your doctor will likely not prescribe Livalo if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant soon. Talk with your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Breastfeeding. You should not breastfeed while taking Livalo because it may be harmful to a child who’s breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.
Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Livalo or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Livalo. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Livalo. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- Whether you drink alcohol.
- Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list.
- What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Livalo treatment.
It’s also important to understand Livalo’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Livalo, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.)
If you have difficulty reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Taking Livalo exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
If you still have questions about Livalo and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.
Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:
- Does my risk of interactions depend on my dosage of Livalo?
- Do other cholesterol-lowering drugs have similar interactions to Livalo?
- Should I let you know if I make lifestyle changes, such as to my diet or exercise routine, while taking Livalo?
To learn more about Livalo, see these articles:
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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
Article source and credits to https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/livalo-interactions
