Description
Simvastatin belongs to the group of medications known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (“statins”). It is used in addition to diet and exercise to lower cholesterol levels. It is also used to decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death regardless of whether cholesterol levels are high or not for people who have coronary heart disease (CHD) or have other arteries in the body that are blocked, or for those who have diabetes and are over the age of 40. It is also used to treat people who have certain inherited cholesterol disorders.
Simvastatin works by blocking an enzyme that helps create cholesterol in the body. As a result, less cholesterol is made and levels of cholesterol in the blood decrease. Simvastatin lowers the level of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol) and raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good” cholesterol) levels. The medication usually takes about 2 to 4 weeks to have a significant effect on the cholesterol level in your blood. After this time, your doctor will likely send you for a blood test to check for changes in your cholesterol levels.
Before or when starting simvastatin, you should be placed on a cholesterol-lowering diet. If appropriate, a health care professional will discuss an individualized program of weight control and physical exercise with you. When it is being used to reduce cholesterol levels, the usual starting dose of this medication is 10 mg taken by mouth, once a day, in the evening.
For children between the ages of 10 and 17, who have an inherited cholesterol disorder, the usual starting dose is also 10 mg taken by mouth once a day, in the evening. The usual starting dose of simvastatin to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke is 40 mg taken by mouth once a day, in the evening. Your doctor may adjust the dose after a period of time, depending on how well it is working for you or how well you are tolerating the medication. The maximum daily dose for children and adolescents 10 to 17 years of age is 40 mg. For adults, the maximum recommended daily dose is 80 mg, which may be used for some people who have been taking this amount for a long time with no muscle problems or people at high risk of heart disease who have problems taking other “statins.” The maximum daily dose may be lower for people taking certain medications.
