{"id":632184,"date":"2025-05-07T19:49:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T23:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=632184"},"modified":"2026-02-06T12:43:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T17:43:57","slug":"paxlovid-and-atorvastatin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/paxlovid-and-atorvastatin\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you take atorvastatin and Paxlovid together?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maybe you\u2019ve had <\/span>high cholesterol<\/span><\/a> for a while, and now you also have COVID. Or maybe COVID contributed to your high cholesterol problems (yes, this is a thing, according to the Global Center for Health Security). Regardless, you find yourself needing <\/span>atorvastatin<\/span> and <\/span>Paxlovid<\/span> at the same time. Can you take them together?<\/span><\/p>\n

First, we must understand what these medications are used for and what they do. <\/span>Atorvastatin<\/span><\/a> is a prescription medication in the <\/span>statin<\/span> drug class<\/span><\/a> that <\/span>treats high cholesterol<\/span><\/a> by lowering \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol (aka low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) while raising levels of \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol (aka high-density lipoprotein, or HDL). This can reduce the risk of complications from <\/span>cardiovascular<\/span> disease or diabetes mellitus. <\/span>Risk factors for those conditions<\/span><\/a> include age, <\/span>hypertension<\/span> (high <\/span>blood pressure<\/span>), smoking, low HDL levels, and a family history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paxlovid<\/span><\/a> is an <\/span>antiviral<\/span> medication manufactured by <\/span>Pfizer<\/span> and approved by the <\/span>Food and Drug Administration<\/span> (<\/span>FDA<\/span>). It <\/span>treats <\/span>mild-to-moderate COVID-19<\/span><\/a>, also known as <\/span>coronavirus<\/span> or <\/span>SARS-CoV-2<\/span>, in patients with a <\/span>high risk<\/span> for <\/span>severe disease<\/span>, <\/span>hospitalization<\/span>, or death. Its active ingredients are <\/span>nirmatrelvir<\/span> and <\/span>ritonavir<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the <\/span>co-administration<\/span> of these drugs may seem necessary to treat each disease process, doctors don\u2019t recommend it. But why, and what do you do if you need both?<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you take <\/span>atorvastatin<\/span> and <\/span>Paxlovid<\/span> together?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Taking these two medications together\u2014especially without medical supervision\u2014 isn\u2019t in your best interest, to say the least. \u201cWe would recommend temporarily stopping <\/span>atorvastatin<\/span><\/a> while taking <\/span>Paxlovid<\/span><\/a>,\u201d says Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Essentially, they can interact with each other. \u201c<\/span>Paxlovid<\/span> contains <\/span>ritonavir<\/span>, which blocks an <\/span>enzyme<\/span> (CYP3A) that helps break down many medications, including <\/span>atorvastatin<\/span>,\u201d explains Dr. Edmond Hakimi, DO, a dual-board-certified internal medicine physician and the medical director at Wellbridge. When that <\/span>enzyme<\/span> is inhibited, <\/span>atorvastatin<\/span> stays in the body much longer than usual, increasing the risk of serious <\/span>side effects<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What happens if you take <\/span>Paxlovid<\/span> with <\/span>atorvastatin<\/span>?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

When these two medications are taken together, several <\/span>potential drug interactions<\/span> can also occur, according to Dr. Hakimi and Dr. Chen.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, the <\/span>statin<\/span> level in the blood can increase significantly, leading to muscle damage, liver issues, and kidney strain.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rhabdomyolysis<\/span>, one of the most serious risks, can also occur. This is when muscle tissues break down and release harmful proteins into the bloodstream, which can overwhelm the kidneys and cause serious complications. Symptoms of <\/span>rhabdomyolysis<\/span> include muscle pain, weakness, dark urine, and severe fatigue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, patients face an <\/span>increased risk<\/span> of liver toxicity, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), and abdominal pain. They may also experience nausea, headaches, or fatigue.<\/span><\/p>\n

While a <\/span>dose reduction<\/span> or <\/span>dose adjustment<\/span> is the answer with some medications, that\u2019s not the case here. \u201cBecause of these risks, pausing <\/span>atorvastatin<\/span> while taking <\/span>Paxlovid<\/span> is usually the safest way to avoid complications,\u201d Dr. Hakimi restates. \u201cSince <\/span>statins<\/span> work over the long-term to lower cholesterol, a brief break of a few days is unlikely to impact heart health majorly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Other <\/span>Paxlovid<\/span> drug interactions<\/span><\/a> to note include (but aren\u2019t limited to) the following:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n