What is simvastatin 40 mg prescribed for?
Simvastatin is used together with a proper diet to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride (fat) levels in the blood. This medicine may help prevent medical problems (eg, heart or blood vessel problems, heart attacks, or strokes) caused by clogged blood vessels.
Can I buy simvastatin over the counter uk?
The Department of Health has accepted the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) that simvastatin 10 mg can be sold through pharmacies to people at moderate risk of coronary heart disease. The UK is the first country to make a statin available over the counter (OTC).
Is 40mg of simvastatin too much?
For high cholesterol: Adults—20 to 40 milligrams (mg) once a day in the evening. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. Children 10 years of age and older—10 to 40 mg once a day in the evening.
What are the side effects of simvastatin 40 mg tablets?
Simvastatin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- constipation.
- stomach pain.
- nausea.
- headache.
- memory loss or forgetfulness.
- confusion.
- itchy or red skin.
What should you avoid while taking simvastatin?
Do not use simvastatin if you are also taking boceprevir (Victrelis®), cobicistat-containing products (Stribild®), cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®), danazol (Danocrine®), gemfibrozil (Lopid®), nefazodone (Serzone®), telaprevir (Incivek®), certain antibiotics (eg, clarithromycin, daptomycin, erythromycin.
How long should you take simvastatin?
You usually have to continue taking statins for life because if you stop taking them, your cholesterol will return to a high level within a few weeks. If you forget to take your dose, do not take an extra one to make up for it.
How much does simvastatin cost UK?
Our prices
| Strength | Quantity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 10mg | 84 tablets | £16.99 |
| 20mg | 84 tablets | £16.99 |
| 40mg | 84 tablets | £16.99 |
| 80mg | 84 tablets | £16.99 |
Which are the best statins UK?
“By using non-HDL-C as a primary measure, we found that the three statins – Rosuvastatin, Simvastatin and Atorvastatin – were ranked most effective in the meta-analysis.”
What are the dangers of simvastatin?
Side effects can vary between different statins, but common side effects include:
- headache.
- dizziness.
- feeling sick.
- feeling unusually tired or physically weak.
- digestive system problems, such as constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion or farting.
- muscle pain.
- sleep problems.
- low blood platelet count.
Can I drink coffee while taking simvastatin?
Caffeine is a nonspecific adenosine receptor blocker, and thus drinking CC may block the myocardial protective effects of statins.
Does simvastatin cause weight gain?
Statin use is associated with increased calorie intake and consequent weight gain.
Is 40 mg of statin high?
What is already known? High dose statins (40mg and 80 mg atorvastatin) are important in reducing ASCVD events. However, these high statin doses are associated with increased adverse effects like liver enzyme elevation, new onset diabetes mellitus and myalgia/myopathy which are related to dose.
What cholesterol level requires statins UK?
If your risk is very low, you probably won’t need a statin, unless your LDL is above 190 mg/dL (4.92 mmol/L). If your risk is very high — for example, you’ve had a heart attack in the past — a statin may be helpful even if you don’t have high cholesterol.
What can I take for high cholesterol if I can’t take statins?
7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statins
- Fibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis.
- Plant stanols and sterols.
- Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins.
- Niacin.
- Policosanol.
- Red yeast rice extract (RYRE)
- Natural products.
What is the best statin to take with the least side effects?
According to a research review people who take simvastatin (Zocor) or pravastatin (Pravachol) may experience fewer side effects.
What foods should be avoided with simvastatin?
Grapefruit juice is the only food or drink that has a direct interaction with statins. Statins do not directly interact with any food but people taking statins should moderate their intake of saturated fats to help lower their LDL cholesterol and overall risk of cardiovascular disease.
What should I avoid while taking simvastatin?
Do not use more than 20 mg per day of simvastatin together with amiodarone (Cordarone®), amlodipine (Norvasc®), lomitapide (Juxtapid™), or ranolazine (Ranexa®). When used together with higher doses of simvastatin, these medicines may increase your risk of muscle injury and could result in kidney problems.
What are the most common side effects of simvastatin?
The more common side effects that can occur with simvastatin include:
- headache.
- nausea.
- stomach pain.
- constipation.
- muscle pain or weakness.
- joint pain.
- upper respiratory infections.
Can you get off statins Once you start?
It’s possible for some people to stop taking statins safely, but it can be especially risky for others. For instance, if you have a history of heart attack or stroke, it’s not recommended that you stop taking these drugs. This is because you’re more likely to have another such problem when you discontinue statins.
Why do statins have to be taken at night?
Many statins work more effectively when they are taken at night. This is because the enzyme which makes the cholesterol is more active at night. Also, the half-life, or the amount of time it takes for half the dose to leave your body, of some statins is short.
Can you stop taking statins Once you start?
Do not suddenly stop taking your prescribed medication without talking with your doctor first. If you have side effects from the medication, your doctor might adjust your dosage or recommend a different statin or other combination of medications.
Which is the best statin to take UK?
Types of statin and dosage
The NICE guideline recommends offering 20 mg atorvastatin daily for primary prevention to people who have a 10% or greater 10-year risk of developing CVD. This includes those with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
Do most cardiologists take statins?
What a Cardiologist Wants You to Know. About 35 million people take statins in the United States, but research says only 55% of those who are recommended to take a statin are taking one.
What are the dangers of taking simvastatin?
inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), which can cause flu-like symptoms. inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which can cause stomach pain. skin problems, such as acne or an itchy red rash. sexual problems, such as loss of libido (reduced sex drive) or erectile dysfunction.
What is the safest statin on the market?
In relation to renal function, atorvastatin was the safest statin as it resulted in the least number of patients at the end of 2 years of treatment with the new onset of microalbuminuria (10.9%) followed by rosuvastatin (14.3%) and then pravastatin (26.6%).