Zocor
Zocor, which contains simvastatin, helps lower total cholesterol, "bad" cholesterol (LDL), and blood fats (triglycerides), while raising "good" cholesterol (HDL).
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
40 mg
Active Ingredient
Simvastatin
Manufacturer
N.V. Organon
How to Use
Dosage
The usual dose is 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, or 80 mg of simvastatin, taken by mouth once a day.
Method
Take Zocor tablets in the evening, with or without food. Continue taking it as long as your doctor tells you.
Important
Do not take more than 80 mg per day.
Possible Side Effects
RARE
- •Muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, or cramps; sometimes severe, leading to muscle damage, kidney problems, and very rarely, death.
- •Swelling of the face, tongue, and throat, causing difficulty breathing (angioedema).
- •Severe muscle pain, usually in the shoulders and hips.
- •Rash with weakness in arm, leg, and neck muscles.
- •Joint pain or inflammation (polymyalgia rheumatica).
- •Blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis).
- •Unusual bruising, rash, and swelling (dermatomyositis), hives, skin sensitivity to light, fever, redness.
- •Shortness of breath (dyspnea) and feeling unwell.
- •Lupus-like symptoms (including rash, joint pain, and changes in blood values).
- •Liver inflammation with yellow skin/eyes, itching, dark urine, pale stools, tiredness, weakness, lack of appetite; very rarely, liver failure.
- •Pancreatitis, often with severe stomach pain.
- •A 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).
- •Low red blood cell count (anemia).
- •Numbness or weakness in the hands and feet.
- •Headache, dizziness, tingling sensation.
- •Blurred vision, vision impairment.
- •Digestive issues (abdominal pain, constipation, flatulence, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting).
- •Rash, itching, and hair loss.
- •Weakness.
- •Insomnia.
- •Memory impairment, memory loss, confusion.
Important Warnings
- 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, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
- Tell your doctor if you are taking certain other medicines, especially those for fungal infections, HIV, bacterial infections (like fusidic acid), or other cholesterol-lowering drugs, as combining them with Zocor can be risky.
- Stop taking Zocor and call your doctor right away if you get unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, as this could be a sign of a serious problem.
- Avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking Zocor, as it can interfere with how the medicine works in your body.
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)