Drug interactions
Cyclosporine + Pitavastatin
Severity: Contraindicated
Cyclosporine and Pitavastatin: contraindicated interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Cyclosporine markedly increases pitavastatin exposure, raising the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Pitavastatin labeling contraindicates concomitant use.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cyclosporine and Pitavastatin are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Why it happens
Cyclosporine inhibits OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 hepatic uptake of pitavastatin, greatly increasing systemic concentrations.
What to do
Do not coadminister. Use an alternative lipid-lowering strategy, or a statin with defined dose limits with cyclosporine, such as low-dose pravastatin or fluvastatin.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Pitavastatin
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cyclosporine with Pitavastatin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Cyclosporine and Pitavastatin are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Cyclosporine markedly increases pitavastatin exposure, raising the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Pitavastatin labeling contraindicates concomitant use.
How serious is the interaction between Cyclosporine and Pitavastatin?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not coadminister. Use an alternative lipid-lowering strategy, or a statin with defined dose limits with cyclosporine, such as low-dose pravastatin or fluvastatin.
What other medicines interact with Pitavastatin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Pitavastatin with, for example, Cyclosporin, Erythromycin base, Erythromycin ethylsuccinate. The full list is on the Pitavastatin page.
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