The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7388 p205
18 February 2006

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· SPCs
· Prescription pricing
· Oxygen supplies (6)
· The Journal
· Statins

Letters to the Editor

Statins

Evidence for night-time dosing

From Mr J. E. Ashmore, MRPharmS

I have read the letter from Irene Gummerson with interest, with regards to the administration of statins (PJ, 11 February, p166). For several years I have been advising patients to take simvastatin in the early evening and have labelled the packaging accordingly. After completing a continuing education paper I believe that the level of cholesterol production increases in the evening with a peak blood level at approximately 10pm. It therefore seems appropriate to dose in time for this production. The Zocor entry in the ABPI Medicines Compendium confirms evening dosing, as have patient information leaflets for several years. If the dose is 36.3 per cent effective at night and 20 per cent effective at lunchtime, does any information exist regarding the early evening?

Jim Ashmore
Halesowen, West Midlands

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