Drug interactions
Niacin + Pitavastatin
Severity: Moderate
Niacin and Pitavastatin: moderate 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
Lipid-lowering doses of niacin given with statins have been linked to myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. The effect is usually modest but can be significant in predisposed patients.
What this interaction means in plain words
Niacin and Pitavastatin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Niacin belongs to Cardiovascular; Pitavastatin belongs to Cardiovascular.
Why it happens
Additive myotoxicity; niacin itself can rarely cause muscle injury, and the mechanism of the combined effect is not fully defined.
What to do
Monitor for muscle symptoms and obtain CK if they appear, particularly when niacin is titrated to lipid-lowering doses. Stop one or both agents if myopathy develops.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Pitavastatin
- Cyclosporine + Pitavastatin Contraindicated
- Cyclosporin + Pitavastatin Contraindicated
- Erythromycin base + Pitavastatin Major
- Erythromycin ethylsuccinate + Pitavastatin Major
- Erythromycin lactobionate + Pitavastatin Major
- Erythromycin stearate + Pitavastatin Major
Other interactions of Niacin
- Alogliptin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
- Atorvastatin + Niacin Moderate
- Canagliflozin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
- Cholestyramine + Niacin Moderate
- Colestipol + Niacin Moderate
- Dapagliflozin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Niacin with Pitavastatin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Niacin and Pitavastatin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Lipid-lowering doses of niacin given with statins have been linked to myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. The effect is usually modest but can be significant in predisposed patients.
How serious is the interaction between Niacin and Pitavastatin?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor for muscle symptoms and obtain CK if they appear, particularly when niacin is titrated to lipid-lowering doses. Stop one or both agents if myopathy develops.
What other medicines interact with Pitavastatin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Pitavastatin with, for example, Cyclosporine, Cyclosporin, Erythromycin base. The full list is on the Pitavastatin page.
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