Medications
Simvastatin - Zocor
ZOCOR is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) indicated as an adjunctive therapy to diet to:
• Reduce the risk of total mortality by reducing CHD deaths and reduce the risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and the need for revascularization procedures in patients at high risk of coronary events.
• Reduce elevated total-C, LDL-C, Apo B, TG and increase HDL-C in patients with primary hyperlipidemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial) and mixed dyslipidemia.
• Reduce elevated TG in patients with hypertriglyceridemia and reduce TG and VLDL-C in patients with primary dysbeta-lipoproteinemia.
• Reduce total-C and LDL-C in adult patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.
• Reduce elevated total-C, LDL-C, and Apo B in boys and postmenarchal girls, 10 to 17 years of age with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia after failing an adequate trial of diet therapy.
Limitations of Use
ZOCOR has not been studied in Fredrickson Types I and V dyslipidemias.
Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥5.0%) are: upper respiratory infection, headache, abdominal pain, constipation, and nausea.
• Coumarin anticoagulants: Concomitant use with ZOCOR prolongs INR. Achieve stable INR prior to starting ZOCOR. Monitor INR frequently until stable upon initiation or alteration of ZOCOR therapy.
• Other Lipid-lowering Medications: Use with other fibrate products or lipid-modifying doses (≥1 g/day) of niacin increases the risk of adverse skeletal muscle effects. Caution should be used when prescribing with simvastatin.
• Patients should be advised of the increased risk of myopathy including rhabdomyolysis with the 80-mg dose.
• Skeletal muscle effects (e.g., myopathy and rhabdomyolysis): Risks increase with higher doses and concomitant use of certain medicines. Predisposing factors include advanced age (≥65), female gender, uncontrolled hypothyroidism, and renal impairment.
• Patients should be advised to report promptly any symptoms of myopathy. Simvastatin therapy should be discontinued immediately if myopathy is diagnosed or suspected. See Drug Interaction table.
• Liver enzyme abnormalities: Persistent elevations in hepatic transaminases can occur. Check liver enzyme tests before initiating therapy and as clinically indicated thereafter.
