What is a serious adverse reaction to simvastatin?
The most commonly reported adverse reactions (incidence ≥5%) in simvastatin controlled clinical trials were: upper respiratory infections (9.0%), headache (7.4%), abdominal pain (7.3%), constipation (6.6%), and nausea (5.4%).
What happens if you take too much simvastatin?
One rare but serious side effect is unexplained muscle aches and pains. This is more likely if you’re taking a higher dose of simvastatin – and it can happen a few weeks or months after you first start taking this medicine. Report any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness to a doctor straight away.
Can simvastatin be harmful?
Very rarely, statins can cause life-threatening muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis (rab-doe-my-OL-ih-sis). Rhabdomyolysis can cause severe muscle pain, liver damage, kidney failure and death. The risk of very serious side effects is extremely low, and calculated in a few cases per million people taking statins.
What should be monitored when taking simvastatin?
Heavy alcohol use, history of liver disease, renal failure. Monitor LFTs before initiating treatment and thereafter when clinically indicated; reports of fatal and nonfatal hepatic failure in people taking statins. Discontinue if markedly elevated CPK levels occur or myopathy is diagnosed or suspected.
What happens when you stop taking simvastatin?
Statins (atorvastatin, simvastatin, Crestor) decrease mortality rates in patients with high cholesterol. They will help you live longer. Stopping your statin has been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular events (like heart attack) and death in patients with coronary artery disease.
Can I eat oranges while taking simvastatin?
It is believed that the juice and pulp of grapefruit, pomelos and Seville oranges (not regular oranges) contain a chemical that inhibits the enzyme, so the statin doesn’t get a chance to clear out making the dose circulating in the blood much higher and more potent then intended.
