pravastatin is the generic form of the brand name drug pravachol which is used to lower cholesterol levels pravastatin reduces levels of bad cholesterol which is called low density lipoprotein or ldlit also raises levels of good cholesterol which is called high density lipoprotein or hdl and it lowers levels of harmful triglycerides in the blood pravachol pravastatin is a medication that is used to treat high cholesterol it is in the class of medications called statins that work by blocking an enzyme in the liver that produces cholesterol