Zocor
Zocor is a medicine that lowers "bad" cholesterol and fats in your blood, and increases "good" cholesterol, helping to prevent heart disease.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
20 mg
Active Ingredient
Simvastatin
Manufacturer
N.V. Organon
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will tell you the right dose, usually 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, or 80 mg per day.
Method
Take one tablet by mouth once a day, in the evening, with or without food. If you take another cholesterol medicine that binds bile acids, take Zocor at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after it.
Important
Do not take more than 80 mg in a single day.
Possible Side Effects
RARE
- •Muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, or cramps. In rare cases, this can lead to serious muscle damage and kidney problems.
- •Allergic reactions such as swelling of the face, tongue, and throat (difficulty breathing), severe muscle pain, rash, joint pain, blood vessel inflammation, unusual bruising, hives, sensitivity to light, fever, redness, shortness of breath, and lupus-like symptoms.
- •Liver problems, with symptoms like yellow skin/eyes, itching, dark urine, pale stools, tiredness, or loss of appetite.
- •Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), often with severe stomach pain.
- •Low red blood cell count (anemia).
- •Numbness or weakness in hands and feet.
- •Headache, dizziness, tingling feeling.
- •Blurred vision, vision loss.
- •Stomach upset (stomach pain, constipation, gas, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting).
- •Rash, itching, hair loss.
- •General weakness.
- •Trouble sleeping.
- •Memory problems, confusion.
- •Erectile dysfunction.
- •Depression.
- •Lung inflammation with persistent cough and shortness of breath.
- •Tendon problems, sometimes leading to rupture.
- •Myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness, including breathing muscles) or ocular myasthenia (eye muscle weakness).
- •Breast enlargement in men (gynecomastia).
Important Warnings
- Contact your doctor right away if you get unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. This can sometimes be serious.
- Do not take Zocor if you are allergic to simvastatin or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take Zocor if you have liver disease.
- Do not take Zocor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Always tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including over-the-counter and herbal ones, as some can cause serious problems with Zocor.
Show 2 more warnings
- Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Zocor, as it can interfere with the medicine.
- If you have been told you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
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)