How is atorvastatin different from simvastatin?

Dose for dose, atorvastatin is more potent than simvastatin at blocking the target enzyme, HMGCoA; this effect is overcome by using a higher dose of simvastatin. In controlled dosing studies, simvastatin 40 mg and atorvastatin 10 mg and 20 mg are equally effective.

What should you not take with 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 special instructions must be followed when administering simvastatin?

Take simvastatin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Shake suspension well for at least 20 seconds before each use. If you will be taking the simvastatin suspension, do not use a household teaspoon to measure your dose.

What is the difference between rosuvastatin and simvastatin?

Aside from being better at lowering so-called “bad” cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, another advantage to rosuvastatin is that it has far fewer negative interactions with other medications than simvastatin, or most other statins, for that matter.

Can you switch from atorvastatin to simvastatin?

A large proportion of patients who switch from atorvastatin to simvastatin are prescribed doses that are not therapeutically equivalent, and these patients were significantly less likely to meet LDL-C treatment goals compared with patients who remained on atorvastatin.

Which is safer simvastatin or atorvastatin?

No strong head-to-head trials comparing atorvastatin and simvastatin have been conducted. However, atorvastatin is considered a more potent drug than simvastatin. In one recent comparative study, atorvastatin was found to be more effective at lowering LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) than simvastatin.

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.

How long can I take simvastatin?

How long will I take simvastatin for? Usually, treatment with a statin such as simvastatin is for life. The benefits will only continue for as long as you take it. If you stop taking simvastatin without starting a different treatment, your cholesterol level may rise again.

Can you take too much simvastatin?

Never take simvastatin in larger amounts, or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow your doctor’s dosing instructions very carefully. Taking too much of this medication may cause serious or life-threatening side effects.

Is rosuvastatin bad for kidneys?

Long-term administration of rosuvastatin and other statins have been shown not to be associated with any decline in renal function, but instead have been shown to produce modest but clear improvement in glomerular filtration rate.

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.

How is atorvastatin different from simvastatin? Dose for dose, atorvastatin is more potent than simvastatin at blocking the target enzyme, HMGCoA; this effect is overcome by using a higher dose of simvastatin. In controlled dosing studies, simvastatin 40 mg and atorvastatin 10 mg and 20 mg are equally effective. What should you not take with…