Key takeaways
- Repatha (evolocumab) is used to treat high cholesterol and lower certain heart-related risks. It’s not known to interact with alcohol, other medications, or supplements.
- If you have a latex or rubber allergy, talk with your doctor before beginning Repatha treatment. Repatha prefilled syringes and auto-injectors have components that are made from latex.
Specifically, Repatha is used to:
- treat high cholesterol in adults and some children with certain conditions
- lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, unstable angina requiring hospitalization, cardiovascular death (when the heart stops pumping, which leads to organ failure), or the need for certain heart procedures in adults with heart disease
Repatha isn’t a statin drug. Rather, it’s a type of monoclonal immunoglobulin. Repatha comes as a liquid solution for injection under your skin.
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about Repatha’s possible interactions. For a detailed overview of this drug, check out this in-depth Repatha article.
Repatha isn’t known to interact with other drugs. But new interactions may be recognized in the future. For example, possible interactions could be reported by people who have received Repatha since it became available.
Before you start Repatha treatment, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
To learn whether Repatha interacts with herbs, vitamins, or supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Repatha?” section.
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you receive Repatha. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Repatha for you. These are known as contraindications. Repatha has one contraindication, as follows:
If you’ve had an allergic reaction: If you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to Repatha or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Repatha. This is because using the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Repatha isn’t known to interact with alcohol. But Repatha and alcohol may cause some of the same side effects, including dizziness and headaches. Drinking alcohol during your Repatha treatment could worsen these side effects.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much may be safe to consume during your Repatha treatment.
Repatha’s potential interactions with supplements, foods, vaccines, and lab tests are discussed here.
Does Repatha interact with supplements?
Repatha isn’t known to interact with any supplements. But before you start Repatha treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs, vitamins, or supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions that could be recognized later. For example, interactions could be reported by people who have received Repatha since it became available.
What are some foods to avoid with Repatha?
Repatha currently has no reports of interacting with foods. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Repatha, talk with your doctor.
Does Repatha interact with vaccines or lab tests?
Repatha currently has no reports of interacting with vaccines or lab tests. If you have questions about getting specific vaccines or having lab tests done during your Repatha treatment, talk with your doctor.
Does Repatha interact with cannabis or CBD?Currently, Repatha has no reports of interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Repatha.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Repatha. Before starting Repatha treatment, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Repatha is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Repatha include:
Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Repatha injections are safe during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about the risks and benefits of receiving Repatha while pregnant.
Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether Repatha injections are safe while breastfeeding. It isn’t known whether the drug passes into breast milk or could cause side effects in a breastfed child. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before starting Repatha treatment.
Allergy to latex or rubber: Talk with your doctor before beginning Repatha treatment if you have a latex or rubber allergy. Repatha prefilled syringes and auto-injectors have components that are made from latex.
Instead, your doctor may prescribe the cartridge form of Repatha, which doesn’t contain rubber and may be safe for people with allergies to latex or rubber. To learn more about Repatha’s forms, see this Repatha overview article.
Allergic reaction: If you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to Repatha or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Repatha. This is because receiving the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Do Repatha and Paxlovid have any interaction?
No, Repatha and Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) aren’t known to have an interaction. Paxlovid is prescribed to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in certain adults. In these adults, COVID-19 has a high risk of becoming severe and can include hospitalization or death.
If you’d like to learn more about taking Paxlovid during Repatha treatment, ask your doctor for details.
Do Repatha and Ozempic have interactions?
No, Repatha and Ozempic (semaglutide) aren’t known to have any interactions. Ozempic is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drug. It’s prescribed to help manage blood sugar in adults who have type 2 diabetes. It’s also used to help reduce certain other risks, such as kidney conditions and major events related to the heart and blood vessels.
To learn more about receiving Ozempic during Repatha treatment, ask your doctor for details.
Is it safe to receive Repatha with other cholesterol medications?
Yes, it should be safe. Repatha isn’t known to interact with any cholesterol medications.
Repatha can be used to treat high cholesterol in people with certain conditions. Depending on your condition, your doctor may prescribe Repatha with other cholesterol medications. An example is statin drugs, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (FloLipid, Zocor). You might also be able to receive Repatha and Crestor together. Crestor is also a statin drug.
Your doctor will discuss whether you should receive Repatha with other cholesterol medications.
Can I receive Repatha if I have diabetes?
You might be able to, if your doctor recommends it. But it’s important to note that Repatha may cause high blood sugar, which can worsen diabetes. If you have diabetes, your doctor may have you check your blood sugar levels more often than usual during your Repatha treatment.
To learn more about Repatha and diabetes, talk with your doctor.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Repatha. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs (they can help you fill out a
medication list ) - what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Repatha treatment
It’s also important to understand Repatha’s
If you didn’t get paperwork with Repatha, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you. If you have difficulty reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Receiving Repatha exactly as prescribed also can help prevent interactions.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.