Repatha With Red Yeast Rice Interaction
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses why someone is seeing an interaction between Repatha and red yeast rice.
What is the interaction between red yeast rice and Repatha?
Jun 16, 2024- Repatha and red yeast rice have no direct interaction according to drug-herbal interaction checkers.
- Red yeast rice contains monacolin K, which works like a statin to lower cholesterol, while Repatha lowers cholesterol through a different mechanism.
- If you see an interaction listed elsewhere, it's likely flagged due to therapeutic duplication since both substances lower cholesterol, though the combined cholesterol-lowering effects are generally not concerning.
Answer
Thank you for reaching out to us!
Our drug-herbal interaction checker does not show an interaction between Repatha and red yeast rice. However, if you are using a different online resource that is listing an interaction, it's likely due to what is known as a 'therapeutic duplication'.
Red yeast rice is a popular over-the-counter supplement commonly used to lower cholesterol levels. Its effectiveness is due to the presence of monacolin K in most red yeast rice supplements, which is essentially the same as the prescription 'statin' drug lovastatin, proven to lower cholesterol levels.
Repatha is a PCSK9 inhibitor that, like statin drugs, lowers cholesterol, albeit through a different mechanism.
Often, drug interaction checkers will flag an interaction when two of the drugs in question work to treat the same condition or affect the same measure.
For example, two blood pressure medications can often 'interact', even if they don't work the same way. The interaction is essentially a warning about the additive blood pressure lowering effects, which could potentially cause side effects.
With cholesterol medications, additive effects are generally not as concerning as with some other drug classes. Nevertheless, the combined cholesterol-lowering effects of Repatha and red yeast rice may be why you are seeing an interaction listed.
Final Words
Please feel free to write back and share where you are seeing an interaction between Repatha and red yeast rice. We'd be happy to look into it and provide more information on what we find.
Thank you again for contacting us!
References & sources
- Traditional Chinese lipid-lowering agent red yeast rice results in significant LDL reduction but safety is uncertain - a systematic review and meta-analysis — PubMed
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- PCSK9 inhibitor
- A type of cholesterol-lowering medication that works by blocking a protein that removes cholesterol-lowering receptors from liver cells.
- Statin
- A class of prescription drugs that lower cholesterol by reducing the amount produced by the liver.
- Monacolin K
- An active compound found in red yeast rice that functions similarly to the statin drug lovastatin.
- Therapeutic duplication
- When two medications or supplements are used together even though they both treat the same condition or work in similar ways.
- Lovastatin
- A prescription statin medication used to lower cholesterol levels.
- Additive effects
- The combined result when two drugs or supplements with similar actions are used together, causing a stronger overall effect than either one alone.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
More answers from Brian →