Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Zocor simvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering medication that belongs to the statin class of drugs. It is used to treat elevated total cholesterol levels , LDL cholesterol , triglyceride , and apolipoprotein B levels in individuals diagnosed with primary hyperlipidemia or mixed dyslipidemia in cases where diet, lifestyle changes, and other medications are not completely lowering lipid levels.

Additionally, Zocor is used to reduce the risk of having a heart attack and stroke in individuals with or without cardiovascular disease. Zocor is also available in a generic form, allowing you to obtain simvastatin at a lower cost compared to the brand-name product. Zocor is used to reduce cholesterol and reduce your risk of death from a heart attack or stroke. It works by binding to and inhibiting the enzyme called 3-hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A HMG CoA reductase, which the body uses to make cholesterol made in the liver.

The approval of Zocor by the U. Food and Drug Administration FDA in was based on foundational studies examining the effect of the drug at to milligram mg doses. Among them was the Scandanavian Simvastatin Survival Study, a landmark trial that involved 4, adults with angina pectoris or a previous heart attack who were given Zocor for an average of 5.

Among the findings:. If you are taking Zocor, your healthcare provider may need to monitor you more closely if you have certain medical conditions. If you have any of the following conditions, your healthcare provider may decide to start you on Zocor at a lower dose and will need to monitor you to determine whether or not taking Zocor may be harmful to you:.

If you have one of the medical conditions listed below, you should not take Zocor. In these cases, your healthcare provider may place you on a different treatment to lower your lipids:.

Zocor is taken by mouth, with or without food once a day, as directed by your healthcare provider. Although typical doses range from 5 mg to 40 mg, your healthcare provider may start you on a lower dose and slowly increase your dose based upon your LDL levels and response to the medication. Patients are no longer titrated up to 80 mg due to side effects; however, if you are already taking 80 mg, and have been tolerating it without muscle pain for over 12 months, you may continue with your doctor's approval.

A lipid-lowering diet should be followed while you are taking Zocor. The most common side effects of Zocor include:. If you are experiencing any side effects from taking Zocor that become prolonged or bothersome, you should let your healthcare provider know. Report any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness to a doctor straight away. Another very rare side effect can be memory loss.

This usually goes away when you stop taking the medicine. It happens rarely, but less than 1 in 1, people taking simvastatin may have a serious side effect. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to simvastatin. These are not all the side effects of simvastatin. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

Talk to your doctor if you're planning to become pregnant. It's best to stop taking simvastatin at least 3 months before you start trying for a baby. If you become pregnant while taking simvastatin, stop taking the medicine and tell your doctor. It's not known if simvastatin passes into breast milk, but it may cause problems for your baby. You may be able to stop taking simvastatin temporarily while you breastfeed.

If you're taking simvastatin and need to take one of these medicines, your doctor may:. St John's wort, a herbal medicine taken for depression , reduces the amount of simvastatin in your blood, so it does not work as well.

Talk to your doctor if you're thinking about starting St John's wort, as it will change how well simvastatin works.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. Simvastatin acts on the liver to stop it making cholesterol. This lowers your blood cholesterol level. For the first 12 months on this medicine, you'll be offered a couple of routine tests to make sure your liver is working OK. Your cholesterol levels should drop noticeably within 4 weeks — if you take your medicine regularly, as prescribed.

Usually, treatment with a statin such as simvastatin is for life. The benefits will only continue for as long as you take it. If you stop taking simvastatin without starting a different treatment, your cholesterol level may rise again. You may have read negative stories about statins, but they're thought to be very safe, effective medicines. Statins are thought to have very few side effects.

Sometimes the side effects that people report aren't related to their medicine. However, if you're concerned about the safety of statins, talk to your doctor. Simvastatin is safe to take for a long time. In fact, it works best if you take it for a long time. No, there's no evidence that simvastatin is addictive. You will not get any withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it.

You may want to stop simvastatin if you think you're having side effects. Talk to your doctor first to see if it really is a side effect of simvastatin or an unrelated problem. Your doctor may decide to lower your dose or change your medicine. You will not get any withdrawal symptoms. However, stopping simvastatin may cause your cholesterol to rise. This increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you want to stop taking your medicine, it's important to find another way to lower your cholesterol.

There's some interest in taking CoQ10 together with statins. However there's no firm evidence that taking CoQ10 at the same time as simvastatin will benefit your health. More research is needed. If you decide to take a CoQ10 supplement, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Supplements can interfere with other medicines you may also be taking. If you're at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, taking statins may slightly increase this risk. This is because statins can raise your blood sugar a little.

Speak to your doctor, who will be able to explain how the benefits of taking statins are likely to outweigh this small increased risk. If you already have type 2 diabetes, your doctor may advise monitoring your blood sugar levels more closely for the first few months. Tell your doctor or diabetes nurse if you find it harder to control your blood sugar.

Statins all work in the same way, but they differ in how well they lower cholesterol. The maximum dose for children and adolescents 10 to 17 years of age with inherited cholesterol disorders is 40 mg. For best results in lowering your cholesterol, it is very important that you closely follow the diet suggested by your doctor.

Many things can affect the dose of medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are taking the medication without consulting your doctor.

It is important to take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

If you are not sure what to do after missing a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice. Do not dispose of medications in wastewater e. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medications that are no longer needed or have expired. Many medications can cause side effects. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses.

Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent. The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who takes this medication. If you are concerned about side effects, discuss the risks and benefits of this medication with your doctor. Many of these side effects can be managed, and some may go away on their own over time.

Contact your doctor if you experience these side effects and they are severe or bothersome. Your pharmacist may be able to advise you on managing side effects.

Although most of the side effects listed below don't happen very often, they could lead to serious problems if you do not seek medical attention. Stop taking the medication and seek medical attention immediately if any of the following occur:. Some people may experience side effects other than those listed. Check with your doctor if you notice any symptom that worries you while you are taking this medication.

Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use this medication. Alcohol: Consumption of alcohol can increase the risk of liver damage when taking simvastatin.

If you regularly drink more than 3 drinks of alcohol daily, the risk is further increased and you should be closely monitored by your doctor while taking this medication. Diabetes: Simvastatin, like other medications in this family, may cause a loss of control of blood sugar levels and glucose tolerance may change.

People with diabetes may find it necessary to monitor their blood sugar more frequently while using this medication. If you have diabetes or are at risk for developing diabetes, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.