Atorvastatin and Telaprevir: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Jul 15, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Atorvastatin
Telaprevir
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Increased atorvastatin concentrations
Interaction Deep Dive
Telaprevir is a potent inhibitor of CYP3A isozymes1. In a pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers (n=21), coadministration of atorvastatin (a CYP3A4 substrate; given as a coformulation with amlodipine) with telaprevir increased the mean AUC and Cmax of atorvastatin by 10.6-fold and 7.88-fold, respectively 2. Due to the potential for increased atorvastatin plasma concentrations and risk of serious side effects, such as myopathy and rhabdomyolysis, coadministration of atorvastatin and telaprevir should be avoided 1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Inhibition of CYP3A-mediated atorvastatin metabolism
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) In an pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers (n=21), telaprevir, when given concomitantly with a coformulation of amlodipine/atorvastatin, resulted in a significant increase in both amlodipine and atorvastatin exposure. Study participants were given a single dose of amlodipine 5 mg/atorvastatin 20 mg on day 1, telaprevir (750 mg every 8 hours) starting day 11 and continued through day 26, and a second dose of amlodipine/atorvastatin on day 17. There was a 10.6-fold increase (90% confidence interval (CI), 8.74 to 12.85) in mean Cmax and a 7.88-fold increase (90% CI, 6.84 to 9.07) in mean AUC of atorvastatin on day 11 compared to day 1. Atorvastatin mean apparent clearance decreased from 685 L/hr to 83.8 L/hr. For amlodipine, there was 1.27-fold increase (90% CI, 1.21 to 1.33) in Cmax and a 2.79-fold increase (90% CI, 2.58 to 3.01) in AUC on day 11 compared with day 1. The steady-state pharmacokinetic parameters of telaprevir were not significantly effected by the coadministration of amlodipine/atorvastatin 2.
Common questions
Can I take Atorvastatin and Telaprevir together?
Increased atorvastatin concentrations Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Atorvastatin and Telaprevir interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "established". Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Atorvastatin or Telaprevir need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (2)
- Product Information: INCIVEK(TM) oral film coated tablets, telaprevir oral film coated tablets. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (per manufacturer), Cambridge, MA, 2012.
- Lee JE, van Heeswijk R, Alves K, et al: Effect of the hepatitis C virus protease inhibitor telaprevir on the pharmacokinetics of amlodipine and atorvastatin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2011; 55(10):4569-4574. PubMed
Keep reading about Atorvastatin
Keep reading about Telaprevir
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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