What Condition Does Simvastatin Treat?
Simvastatin is in the family of medications called HMG CoA reductase inhibitors or also known as statins. This drug is used for lowering blood levels of bad cholesterol. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Simvastatin in 1991.
What condition does Simvastatin treat?
Simvastatin is mostly prescribed by many doctors to lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. Raising good cholesterol instead of bad cholesterol lessens the risk of heart disease and prevents heart attacks and strokes. Your doctor will also prescribe you Simvastatin if you have:
How does Simvastatin work?
Simvastatin is a statin medication that works in various ways;
- It stops the production of cholesterol by blocking the enzyme that makes cholesterol.
- It helps reabsorb existing cholesterol. Your body needs cholesterol to achieve certain tasks and these include absorbing vitamin D, helping you make hormones, and digesting food. If statins lower your cholesterol level, your body can’t acquire the cholesterol it needs from your circulating blood. As an alternative, your body needs to find other sources of cholesterol by reabsorbing cholesterol that has built up as plaques containing bad cholesterol in your arteries.
What is the dosage of Simvastatin?
- Before you start the treatment, carefully read the manufacturer’s information. It will give you more facts about Simvastatin and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.
- Take one dose of Simvastatin every day particularly in the evening. Your doctor will tell you which strength of the medicine is accurate for you.
- You can take each dose of the medicine before or after every meal.
- With a full glass of water, swallow the medicine whole. Let your doctor know if you have any problems swallowing.
- While you are taking Simvastatin, do not drink grapefruit juice at any time. A certain chemical that the grapefruit juice contains might increase the amount of the drug in your bloodstream. This increases the risk of some side effects and might make them being more serious.
- Leave out the missed dose if you forget to take a dose. However, make sure that you remember to take your next dose on the following evening. Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.
What are the precautions in using Simvastatin?
- Women taking this drug should prevent from getting pregnant. Make sure to talk with your doctor about what types of contraception are appropriate for you and your partner.
- Simvastatin treatment is usually long-term unless you experience an adverse effect. You must continue to take it regularly.
- Taking this drug may cause some side effects. If it occurs, let your doctor know right away if side effects get worse or do not go away.
- Your doctor will give you advice about eating a healthy diet, lessening the amount of alcohol you usually drink, stopping smoking, decreasing the quantity of salt in your diet, and taking regular exercise. Following the pieces of advice given will also help you to lessen your risk of developing blood vessel and heart disease.
Several medicines are not right for people with certain conditions, and might only be used if extra care is taken. It is important that before you start taking Simvastatin your doctor must know if you:
- Are breastfeeding pregnant, or planning to be pregnant
- Have any problems with the way your liver works, or if you have liver disease
- Have an underactive thyroid gland
- Have a problem with unexplained muscle pains
- Have ever had a muscle disorder
- Have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine
- Have any problems with the way your kidneys work
- Regularly drinking large amounts of alcohol
- Are taking any other medicines. This is mainly important because there are lots of medicines that must not be taken with Simvastatin. Some medicines will affect the dose of this prescription that your doctor has given you. Also make sure that your doctor knows of any remedies you are taking especially non-prescription, herbal, and complementary medicines.
Price of Simvastatin vs. Zocor
The generic Simvastatin seems to be a very safe medication and is unusual to have any side effects. Simvastatin only costs $28.19, 5 mg per 30 tabs at Rx2go.Com. The brand name Zocor cost $58.95 with the same strength and quantity. In which, Simvastatin is a lot cheaper than Zocor.