Simvastatin

Simvastatin, also sold under the brand name Zocor, is a medication that is used to reduce high cholesterol levels and levels of other fats like triglycerides in your blood.

When used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise, Simvastatin is clinically proven to reduce your risk of heart disease, including potentially fatal conditions such as strokes and heart attacks.

You can purchase Simvastatin 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and 80mg online at euroClinix, provided you have previously been prescribed it by your doctor.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is made in the liver, but can also be found in the foods we eat. There are two types of cholesterol: ‘bad cholesterol’ (low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol) and ‘good cholesterol’, which is known as non-HDL or non-high density lipoprotein.

High levels of ‘bad cholesterol’ is what leads to health problems, because it builds up inside your arteries and forces the heart to work faster to pump blood around your body. This is a phenomenon known as atherosclerosis.

Simvastatin works to reduce the high levels of bad cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) by targeting the enzymes that make it. It belongs to a group of medicines called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors which prevent the HMG-CoA enzymes from producing excess cholesterol.

These medicines are more commonly known as ‘statins’, a group that includes Atorvastatin (Lipitor), Lovastatin and Pravastatin.

Simvastatin is an effective treatment for high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. One study found that patients on average experienced a 35% drop in bad cholesterol levels.

As well as reducing your cholesterol levels, taking Simvastatin has been clinically proven to lower your risk of several medical conditions. In fact, the same study found that those using Simvastatin reduced their risk of cardiovascular-related death by 42%.

This is because having high cholesterol puts you at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, angina as well as fatal cardiovascular events such as strokes and heart attacks.

High cholesterol is also a risk factor for obesity, type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

You significantly reduce the risk of developing any of these conditions when you take Simvastatin in conjunction with healthy lifestyle changes such as a low-cholesterol diet and regular exercise regime.

Whilst Simvastatin is safe for most people diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, some people should not take the drug.

Do not take Simvastatin if you:

• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• have had an allergic reaction to Simvastatin
• have a liver disease

Others may require additional monitoring from their doctor, such as those who:

• have previously experienced unexplained muscle weakness or muscle pain whilst using a statin medication
• are over the age of 70
• have kidney problems
• have uncontrolled thyroid problems
• consume large amounts of alcohol

If you’re not sure whether Simvastatin is safe for you to take, please consult your healthcare provider.

Take one Simvastatin tablet per day. This dosage is the same no matter what strength of Simvastatin you take.

You can take it any time of the day, but some find it more effective when taken at night time as this is when your body makes the most cholesterol.

If you miss a dose, do not take a double dose to make up for it. Take the missed tablet as soon as you remember. However if it’s nearly time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue from your next scheduled dose.

Grapefruit juice can alter the effectiveness of Simvastatin, and therefore should be avoided whilst taking this medication.

What dosage of Simvastatin should I take?

There are four doses of Simvastatin available: 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and 80mg. 80mg is the maximum dose per day - you must not exceed this dose.

The starting doses are usually the lower doses: the 10mg or 20mg tablets. However, your doctor may increase your dosage gradually if your cholesterol levels are not well controlled.

The high-dose Simvastatin (80mg) will only be prescribed in those with very high cholesterol levels and are most at risk of heart disease.

You should only take the dose you have been prescribed by your doctor. Do not modify your dose without consulting them first.

It’s important you inform your prescriber of all the medicines you are taking, including any over-the-counter medicines, recreational or herbal medicines.

This is because some medicines can alter the efficacy of Simvastatin or, when taken together, put you at a higher risk of side effects.

If you take or have taken within the last 7 days any of the following, you must not take Simvastatin:

• certain antifungals (e.g itraconazole or posaconazole)
• certain antibiotics (e.g erythromycin or telithromycin)
• certain high blood pressure medicines (e.g amlodipine, diltiazem or verapamil)
• other medicines for high cholesterol (e.g gemfibrozil or ezetimibe)
• medicines used to treat HIV (e.g HIV protease inhibitors or cobicistat)
• medicines used to treat a hepatitis C infection (e.g telaprevir)
• nefazodone - used to treat depression
• cyclosporine - used in patients after an organ transplant
• danazol - used to treat endometriosis
• fusidic acid - used to treat bacterial infections
• amiodarone - used to treat an irregular heartbeat
• colchicine - used to treat gout
• niacin supplements (vitamin B3)

For a full list of drug interactions, please refer to the patient information leaflet. If you’re not sure if you take any of the above or whether Simvastatin is right for you, please consult a healthcare professional.

As with all prescription medicines, you may experience some side effects whilst using Simvastatin. However, side effects of Simvastatin are rare. Even the most common side effects have an incidence as low as in 1 in every 1000 patients.

Some of these side effects include:

• muscle pain, tenderness or cramps
• allergic reaction (swelling of the face, tongue or throat)
• skin reactions (e.g bruising, rash or hypersensitivity to the sun)
• shortness of breath
• inflammation of the liver or pancreas
• digestive problems (e.g diarrhoea or constipation)
• swelling of the ankles (oedema)

If you are experiencing any of the above adverse effects or any other serious side effects, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible.

You can buy Simvastatin online today at euroClinix safely and securely if you have been prescribed this particular statin before. The first step is to complete our quick and free online consultation. This is completely free, but is an important way for us to determine whether a medication is suitable for you. This will be reviewed by a doctor who will then prescribe the medication. This prescription will be dispatched by our registered pharmacy with free next-day delivery.