Simvastatin Krka
Simvastatin Krka helps lower high cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood, and it also raises good cholesterol.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
20 mg
Active Ingredient
Simvastatin
Manufacturer
KRKA d.d. Novo mesto
How to Use
Dosage
The usual dose for adults is one 10 mg, 20 mg, or 40 mg tablet by mouth once daily; for children (10-17 years), it typically starts with 10 mg in the evening.
Method
Take this medicine in the evening, with or without food. If you also take a bile acid binding cholesterol medicine, take Simvastatin Krka at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after it.
Important
Do not take more than 80 mg per day. For children and youth, the maximum dose is 40 mg per day.
Possible Side Effects
RARE
- •Muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, or cramps; in serious cases, this can lead to muscle breakdown, kidney damage, and rarely, death.
- •Allergic reactions, including swelling of the face, tongue, and throat (making it hard to breathe), severe muscle pain, rash with weakness in arms/legs/neck, joint pain/inflammation, blood vessel inflammation, unusual bruising, skin rashes and swelling, hives, sensitivity to sunlight, fever, redness, shortness of breath, general unwell feeling, and lupus-like symptoms (rash, joint pain, changes in blood counts).
- •Liver inflammation, with symptoms like yellow skin/eyes, itching, dark urine, pale stools, tiredness, weakness, loss of appetite, and very rarely, liver failure.
- •Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), often with severe abdominal pain.
- •Low red blood cell count (anemia).
- •Numbness or weakness in arms and legs.
- •Headache, tingling sensation, dizziness.
- •Blurred vision and impaired eyesight.
- •Digestive problems (abdominal pain, constipation, gas, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting).
- •Rash, itching, and hair loss.
- •Weakness.
- •Insomnia.
- •Memory impairment, memory loss, confusion.
- •Severe allergic reaction causing breathing difficulties or dizziness (anaphylaxis).
- •Rash or sores in the mouth (lichenoid drug eruption).
- •Muscle rupture.
- •Gynecomastia (enlargement of breasts in men).
- •Erectile dysfunction.
- •Depression.
- •Lung inflammation, causing breathing problems including persistent cough and/or shortness of breath or fever.
- •Tendon problems, sometimes tendon rupture.
- •Myasthenia gravis (a disease causing general muscle weakness, sometimes affecting breathing muscles) or ocular myasthenia (a disease causing eye muscle weakness).
- •Sleep disturbances, including nightmares.
- •Diabetes (more likely if you have high blood sugar, high blood fat, are overweight, or have high blood pressure).
- •Persistent muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness that does not go away after stopping Simvastatin Krka.
Important Warnings
- Do not take if you are allergic to simvastatin or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take if you currently have liver disease.
- Do not take if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Do not take Simvastatin Krka if you are currently taking medicines for fungal infections (e.g., itraconazole), certain antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin), medicines for HIV or Hepatitis C, medicines for depression (nefazodone), other cholesterol-lowering drugs (gemfibrozil), or medicines used after organ transplants (ciclosporin).
- Do not take Simvastatin Krka if you are taking or have taken fusidic acid (for bacterial infections) in the last 7 days, as it can cause severe muscle problems.
Show 4 more warnings
- Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, as this could be a sign of a serious muscle problem that might lead to kidney damage or, rarely, death.
- Avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking Simvastatin Krka, as it can affect how the medicine works.
- Tell your doctor if you drink a lot of alcohol.
- Tell your doctor if you have or have had myasthenia (a disease causing general muscle weakness) or ocular myasthenia (a disease causing eye muscle weakness), as statins can sometimes worsen or cause these conditions.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category C
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Reduce the dose in severe renal impairment. Possible adverse effects include muscle pain and muscular weakness. Consider potential interactions. Avoid grapefruit. (updated 17.4.2023)