Zocor

Brand: ZOCOR

Generic:  SIMVASTATIN

ZOCOR is a medicine used to lower levels of total cholesterol, “bad” cholesterol (LDL cholesterol), and fatty substances called triglycerides in the blood. In addition, ZOCOR raises levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL cholesterol). You should stay on a cholesterol-lowering diet while taking this medicine. ZOCOR is member of the class of drugs called statins.

ZOCOR is used along with diet if you have:

• a raised cholesterol level in your blood (primary hypercholesterolaemia) or elevated fat levels in your blood (mixed hyperlipidaemia)
• a hereditary illness (homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia) that increases the cholesterol level in your blood. You may also receive other treatments.
• coronary heart disease (CHD) or are at high risk of CHD (because you have diabetes, history of stroke, or other blood vessel disease).  ZOCOR may prolong your life by reducing the risk of heart disease problems, regardless of the amount of cholesterol in your blood.

In most people, there are no immediate symptoms of high cholesterol. Your doctor can measure your cholesterol with a simple blood test. Visit your doctor regularly, keep track of your cholesterol, and discuss your goals with your doctor.

ZOCOR GENERIC (origin: Netherlands) 30 tablets 20MG:  $  7.50
ZOCOR GENERIC (origin: Netherlands) 30 tablets 40MG:  $  9.00
ZOCOR GENERIC (origin: Netherlands) 30 tablets 80MG:  $10.50
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PATIENT INFORMATION

  Zocor Patient Information (50.1 KiB, 42 hits)

MEDICATION GUIDE

  Zocor Prescribing Information (161.4 KiB, 22 hits)

SAFETY INFORMATION

►Do not take ZOCOR if :

• you are allergic (hypersensitive) to simvastatin (active ingredient) or any of the other ingredients of ZOCOR tablets
• you currently have liver problems
• you are pregnant or breast-feeding
• you are taking:
  • itraconazole or ketoconazole ( medicines for fungal infections)
  • erythromycin , clarithromycin, or telithromycin (antibiotics for infections)
  • HIV protease inhibitors such as indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, and saquinavir (HIV protease inhibitors are used for HIV infections).
  • nefazodone (a medicine for depression).

►Take special care with ZOCOR :

• Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including allergies.
• Tell your doctor if you drink large amounts  of alcohol.
• Tell your doctor  if you have ever had liver disease.  ZOCOR may not be right for you.
• Tell your doctor if you are due to have an operation. You may need to stop taking ZOCOR tablets for a short time.
• Your doctor should do a blood test before you start taking ZOCOR. This is to check  how well your liver is working.
• Your doctor may also want you to have blood tests to check how well your liver is working after you start taking ZOCOR.

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness.  This is because on rare occasions, muscle problems can be serious, including muscle breakdown resulting in kidney damage; and very rare deaths have occurred.

The risk of muscle breakdown is greater at higher doses of ZOCOR and is greater in certain patients.  Tell your doctor if any of the following applies to you:

• you consume large amounts of alcohol
• kidney problems
• thyroid problems
• you are more than 70 years old
• you have ever had muscle problems during treatment with cholesterol-lowering medicines called “statins” or fibrates
• you or close family members have a hereditary muscle disorder.

►Taking ZOCOR with food and drink:

Grapefruit juice contains one or more components that alter how the body uses some medicinal products, including ZOCOR. Consuming grapefruit juice should be avoided.

►Pregnancy and breast feeding:

Do not take ZOCOR if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or think you may be pregnant.  If you get pregnant while taking ZOCOR, stop taking it immediately and contact your doctor.  Do not take ZOCORif you are breast-feeding, because it is not known if the medicine is passed into breast milk.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.

►Children:

ZOCOR is not recommended for use in children.

►Driving and Using machines:

ZOCOR is not expected to interfere with your ability to drive or use machinery.  However, it should be taken into account that some people get dizzy after taking ZOCOR.

►Important information about some of the ingredients of ZOCOR

ZOCOR tablets contain a sugar called lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.

PRECAUTIONS

Before starting treatment with ZOCOR, try to lower your cholesterol by other methods such as diet, exercise, and weight loss. Ask your doctor about how best to do this. Any other medical problems that can cause high cholesterol should also be treated.

ZOCOR is less effective in patients with the rare disorder known as homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS

Like all medicines, ZOCOR can cause side effects although not everybody gets them.

►RARE SIDE EFFECTS (occurring in 1 or more of 10,000 and less than 1 of 1000 patients treated):

If any of these serious side effects happen, stop taking the medicine and tell your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room at your nearest hospital.

• muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, or cramps. On rare occasions, these muscle problems can be serious, including muscle breakdown resulting in kidney damage; and very rare deaths have occurred.
• hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions including:
  • swelling of the face, tongue and throat which may cause difficulty in breathing
  • severe muscle pain usually in the shoulders and hips
  • rash with weakness of limbs and neck muscles
  • pain or inflammation of the joints
  • inflammation of the blood vessels
  • unusual bruising, skin eruptions and swelling, hives, skin sensitivity to the sun, fever, flushing
  • shortness of breath and feeling unwell
  • lupus-like disease picture (including rash, joint disorders, and effects on blood cells)
• inflammation of the liver with yellowing of the skin and eyes, itching, dark-coloured urine or pale-coloured stool, liver failure (very rare)
• inflammation of the pancreas often with severe abdominal pain.

The following side effects have also been reported rarely:

• low red blood cell count (anaemia)
• numbness or weakness of the arms and legs
• headache, tingling sensation, dizziness
• digestive disturbances (abdominal pain, constipation, flatulence, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting)
• rash, itching, hair loss
• weakness.

If any of the side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

DRUG INTERACTION

It is particularly important to tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs. Taking ZOCOR with any of these drugs can increase the risk of muscle problems (some of these have already been listed in the above section “Do not take ZOCOR”:

• ciclosporin ( a medicine often used in organ transplant patients)
• danazol (a man-made hormone used to treat endometriosis)
• medicines like itraconazole or ketoconazole (medicines for fungal infections)
• fibrates like gemfibrozil and bezafibrate (medicines for lowering cholesterol)
• erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin or fusidic acid (medicines for bacterial infections)
• HIV protease inhibitors such as indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir and saquinavir (medicines for AIDS).
• nefadozone (a medicine for depression)
• amiodarone,(a medicine used for an irregular heart beat)
• verapamil or diltiazem (medicines for high blood pressure, chest pain associated with heart disease, or other heart conditions)

As well as the medicines listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist  if you are taking or have recently taken any medicines, including those obtained without a prescription. In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

• medicines to prevent blood clots, such as warfarin phenprocoumon or acenocoumarol (anticoagulants).
• fenofibrate ( another medicine for lowering cholesterol).
• niacin (another medicine for lowering cholesterol).