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Chemical Name: SIMVASTATIN
 
Common applications

Zocor is a medicine used to lower the level of bad cholesterol in your blood, and raise the levels of good one. The medicine is often used in a combination with a low-cholesterol, low-fat diet. It can also be used to treat adolescent patients, around the ages of 10-17, who have an underlying cholesterol problem.

The medication works by blocking a specific enzyme - when it's blocked, your body's cholesterol production slows down. This is also known to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other harmful conditions. The medicine will not entirely cure high cholesterol levels, but it's a good first step towards controlling them.

Precautions

You must not use this medicine if you're also using medications like gemfibrozil or fenofibrate; hiv protease inhibitors such as ritonavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir; itraconazole; ketoconazole; macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, or troleandomycin; nefazodone; or high-dose niacin (1 gram or more per day).

You may need to apply special monitoring to your dosage if you use medications like warfarin, bosentan, cyclosporine, dalfopristin or quinupristin, digoxin, diltiazem, fluconazole, imatinib, rifamycins such as rifampin, st. John\'s wort, verapamil, or voriconazole.

You must not stop the use of the medicine without informing your doctor first. If you've had problems with your muscles, heart, kidney or liver, you should tell your doctor about them, as they can cause problems in your treatment. Other conditions to keep track of are blood pressure problems, and seizures.

If you've suffered from any liver diseases, you should also refrain from using this medication.

Instructions

Follow the directions your doctor has set closely and do not stray from them. You may take this medicine with or without food, this will not change the effects it has. If your dosage is just once per day, take the medicine before going to bed, unless otherwise specified by your doctor. Your dosage is subject to changes based on your condition and response to the therapy.

Grapefruit can have negative reactions with the medicine, so do not eat it or drink grapefruit juice. To help you remember the timing, take the medicine at the same time every day.

Missing a dose will not pose any problems, just take it when you remember. Do not compensate for it by taking additional dosages of the medicine, this will harm you in the long run.

Warnings

The medicine should not be used by patients who've had allergic reactions to one or more of its ingredients. The medicine may take up to a few weeks to achieve the desired results.

If you see improvement earlier, do not stop using the medicine and continue until your prescription has ended. Keep your appointments with the doctor and keep him/her well informed of your condition and how the medicine is affecting you. You may need to have some special tests performed on you regularly to make sure your indicators are okay.

If you're about to undergo any treatment, inform the doctor performing it that you're using this medicine. The medication can increase the risk of liver problems, especially when used with alcohol. It may also cause injuries in your muscles when taken with other medicines, so avoid that as well.

Women who're planning on becoming pregnant in the near future should talk to their doctor about this. Same goes for any women who're currently pregnant, or have given birth and are breastfeeding.

Side effects

The medicine may cause constipation, diarrhea, and an upset stomach for short periods of time. Those side effects will normally go away quickly, but in some rare cases they don't. If that occurs to you, seek medical attention quickly.

It's unlikely that you may experience an allergic reaction to this medicine, but if you do, contact your doctor right away. The common symptoms of an allergic reaction are swelling, rashes, redness and itching.

Overdose

If you suspect you may have overdosed, you'll need to contact your local poison control center immediately - do not leave anything to chance as the risks are serious.

Final notes

The medicine should be used in combination with a proper diet and exercise routine if you want to get the most out of it. It should not be shared with other individuals if they do not have a prescription for it. If you're using the medicine for long periods of time, provide yourself with adequate supplies to prevent running out.

Drug interactions

The medicine may interact with other drugs and cause unwanted side effects. To prevent this, inform your doctor of any medications you're currently using so he can analyze your condition and advise you on your treatment.