Generic Name: simvastatin (SIM va stah tin)
Brand Names: Zocor
Zocor : Important Information
- Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems have been associated with the use of Zocor and other similar medicines. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, dark colored urine or pale colored stools. These may be early symptoms of muscle or liver problems.
- Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease.
- Alcohol and this medication can both be damaging to the liver. Alcohol should be used only in moderation. Discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor so that the potential for liver problems can be determined.
- Do not take if you are pregnant, could become pregnant during treatment, or if you are breast-feeding a baby.
What is Zocor
- An HMG CoA reductase inhibitor. Blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body.
- Used to reduce the total amounts of cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides (another type of fat), and apolipoprotein B (a protein needed to make cholesterol) in your blood. Simvastatin (Zocor) is also used to increase the level of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood. These actions may reduce the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.
What to Discuss before Using
- Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease.
- Before taking, tell your doctor if you:
- have kidney disease
- drink alcoholic beverages
- have a chronic muscular disease
- have a blood disorder
- You may not be able to take this medication, or you may require a special dosage or monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
- In the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that this medication is known to cause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy. Do not take if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
- It is not known whether medication passes into breast milk. Do not take without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Zocor Dosage Method
- Take exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
- Take each dose with a full glass of water.
- For the greatest effect, usually taken at bedtime or with an evening meal. Follow your doctor's instructions.
- Your doctor may want to monitor your liver function with blood tests before starting treatment and every six months after both the start of your treatment and any increase in dose. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor can determine how much monitoring you will require.
- Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact. The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit and grapefruit juice with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
- Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. To realize beneficial effects, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods.
- It is important to take regularly to get the most benefit.
- Do not stop taking without first talking to your doctor. May need to be taken on a long-term basis for the treatment of high cholesterol.
- Your doctor may want you to have blood tests or other medical evaluations during treatment to monitor progress and side effects.
- Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Miss a dose: Problems?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.
Overdose?
- Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected.
- Symptoms of an overdose include nausea, diarrhea, stomach distress, and indigestion.
Avoid During Treatment
- Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact. The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit and grapefruit juice with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
- Alcohol and this medication can both be damaging to the liver. Alcohol should be used only in moderation. Discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor so that the potential for liver problems can be determined.
Zocor Side effects
- Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems have been associated with the use of this medication and other similar medicines. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, dark colored urine or pale colored stools. These may be early symptoms of muscle or liver problems.
- If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking medication and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
- an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives)
- decreased urine or rust-colored urine
- blurred vision
- Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take medication and talk to your doctor if you experience:
- gas, bloating, nausea, stomach upset, heartburn, abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea
- cough
- headache
- insomnia
- Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs to avoid while undergoing treatment
- Do not take without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
- gemfibrozil (Lopid), clofibrate (Atromid-S), or fenofibrate (Tricor)
- niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Slo-Niacin, others)
- erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, others) or clarithromycin (Biaxin)
- cholestyramine (Questran) or colestipol (Colestid)
- an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan), or ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- nefazodone (Serzone)
- digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps)
- warfarin (Coumadin)
- a protease inhibitor such as amprenavir (Agenerase), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir), lopinavir-ritonavir (Kaletra), or saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase)
- amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacer one)
- verapamil (Calan, Covera-HS, Isoptin, Verelan)
- You may not be able to take this medication, or you may require a special dosage or monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
- Drugs other than those listed here may also interact. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.
Zocor (Simvastatin) comes in tablets to be taken orally. Zocor (Simvastatin) is usually taken once a day at bedtime. Zocor (Simvastatin) is available in four strengths 10mg; 20mg, 40mg and 80 mg. ZOCOR (SIMVASTATIN) may interact with other medicines or certain foods, increasing your risk of getting side effects. Consult your doctor regarding any irregularity of dosage or discontinuation of the medicine.
Zocor (Simvastatin) is a prescription medicine used with diet changes to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in the blood. Zocor (Simvastatin) is prescribed for both adults and children older than 10 years whose cholesterol is not reduced enough with exercise and a low-fat diet. Zocor (Simvastatin) is the first drug shown to reduce the total death rate by reducing LDL or bad cholesterol concentrations in people with coronary heart disease. Zocor (Simvastatin) is proven to reduce the risk of heart attacks and angina (chest pain), and deaths due to cardiac stroke. Zocor (Simvastatin) is only available by a valid prescription from your doctor.
