Advice to patients (44) Simvastatin tablets
- Simvastatin tablets reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by the body and help prevent heart disease.
- The tablets should be taken once each day at night, because this is when the most cholesterol is produced.
- It is important to stick to the diet advised by your doctor. Do not stop taking these tablets or change your diet without speaking to your doctor first, otherwise your condition could get worse.
- Like all medicines, simvastatin can have some unwanted effects. Nausea, stomach upset and headache can occur, but may go away if you keep taking the tablets. Tell the doctor straight away if you have any unusual muscle pain, tenderness or weakness.
- Problems can occur if simvastatin is taken with some other medicines. Are you taking any other prescribed medicines or medicines you have bought?
This series of "advice tips" on commonly used drugs is written by pharmacists from the Sussex Pharmacy Academic Practice Unit. It is intended as a reminder of points to be made by pharmacists as they hand out dispensed medicines. The list is not intended to be comprehensive but to cover some important points. Cards for sale: Sets of the first 25 "tips" are now available for sale as 12 x 15cm cards, supplied with a ring binder, at a cost of £9.95. Orders should be sent to Pharmacy Practice Consultants, 12 Firle Road, Lancing, West Sussex BN15 0NZ, with cheques payable to Pharmacy Practice Consultants. Email: stewartppc@compuserve.com
By Carina and Duncan Livingstone
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