Simvastatin drug side effects

Simvastatin drug and itsuse

Simvastatin is one of the drugs from the group called statins, which means that it is usually used when it is necessary to control the levels of triglycerides and “bad” cholesterol, as well as in the treatment and prevention of heart diseases. It blocks the enzyme in liver, which is in control of the cholesterol production, and thus lowers it. It is also known under the name Zocor, and besides these conditions, it has also proven to be helpful in the treatment of atherosclerosis, when it is necessary to prevent the development of this disease, though it is also helpful in preventing the development of dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Side effects ofsimvastatin

Even though the majority of people who use it does not feel any adverse effects, it certainly does not mean that simvastatin does not have side effects. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to predict the situations in which some of them will appear. The most common side effects are usually mild, they tend to go off by themselves, without special treatment, and they include headache, pain in the stomach, constipation or diarrhea, indigestion, nausea and infections of the upper respiratory tract. The fact that approximately less than 3 % of people experience them confirms the statement that they are very rare. Even rarer are pain felt in the joints, muscle cramps, pancreatitis, hepatitis, depression, insomnia, and the loss of memory, while problems of liver and myositis have been noticed in patients who use this medicine for a longer period. Some of these symptoms certainly require immediate medical attention, and the patient should not ignore them.

How to prevent sideeffects?

It is possible to prevent some of the side effects, and since the doctors who prescribe this medicine are responsible for that, they should check medical history of each patient thoroughly and make sure that they are familiar with their current health condition. It means that they should be familiar with any other disease or health problem that might exist, as well as with every other medicine, supplement, or even minerals that the patient may already be taking, because simvastatin should not be combined with several, due to the risk of interaction. If the patient suffers from heart, liver or kidney problems, if they have a history of stroke or a heart attack, or in cases of hyperthyroidism and diabetes, the use of this medicine should be carefully considered, as well as in the cases of pregnant or breastfeeding women.