Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor - A Comparision Of The Drugs and Its Efficiency

Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor all belong to a group of drugs called statins. They are all prescription drugs that reduce levels of cholesterol in the body.

They work by inhibiting an enzyme known as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMGCoA) reductase which produces cholesterol. High cholesterol levels are extremely dangerous, as they escalate a person’s risk for a heart attack or stroke, and increase the chances of developing heart disease.

All these three drugs need to be taken with caution as they can cause liver damage. Regular liver function tests are very important, while on them. It is also imperative that you keep to your doctor’s appointments, if you are taking any of these three drugs.

If you think that you may be pregnant, contact your doctor immediately as all these three medicines can cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Lipitor, Pravachol nor Zocor, should be taken during breastfeeding as they are known to pass into breast milk, and can harm an infant.

Do not use excessive amounts of alcohol while taking these drugs because they can adversely affect the liver, and cause liver damage. Use them exactly as directed by your doctor, and do not use more or less. Keep in mind they do not cure your condition but only help you control it. They are most effective when prescribed with an exercise regime and diet plan.

Carefully follow the special diet your doctor has given you, as it is the most important part of controlling your cholesterol. Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor should not be taken with large amounts of any grapefruit products because it may increase the concentrations of these drugs in the body and cause adverse effects.

They should not be taken with excessive amounts of alcohol as well, as it can damage the liver.

Generally well tolerated by most these three drugs have a few mild side effects that include;

• gas
• stomach pain or cramps
• diarrhea
• constipation
• heartburn
• headache
• blurred vision
• dizziness
• rash or itching
• upset stomach

If you experience the following symptom, call your doctor immediately

• muscle pain
• tenderness
• weakness with or without a fever

The difference between the drugs lies in the fact that Lipitor while also being a cholesterol lowering drug also reduces triglycerides levels as well.

Each of the drugs is extremely effective in their own way. Pravachol can more effective when prescribed along with a different kind of cholesterol-lowering drug such as Questran or Colestid. However, you must not take Pravachol at the same time as the other drug.

Zocor on the other hand should not be taken with the blood-thinning drug Coumadin and the heart medication Lanoxin as it causes adverse effects.

At the moment most doctors are prescribing Lipitor over Zocor and Pravachol, although all these three drugs have been rigorously tested in large clinical trials that prove that they prevent heart attacks and death from heart disease.

However, a recent study funded by Pfizer demonstrated a superior performance of Lipitor in reducing narrowing of arteries when compared to Pravachol.

All these three drugs can work for you in bringing down cholesterol levels, however, it is at the discretion of your doctor to prescribe which drugs suits your condition best.