Simvastatin Side Effects could be Severe according FDA Report

 The FDA released a report in June 2011 that introduced new guidelines for the prescription of Simvastatin. 

Specifically, the report focused on Simvastatin side effects, stating that they could be much more serious than was previously believed.

 Simvastatin is a drug developed for the treatment of high cholesterol and is classified within a group of drugs known as statins. 

It is most commonly known by the brand name of Zocor, but there are also generic versions of the drug available in the marketplace. 

Simvastatin is typically prescribed to lower cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease.

A list of Simvastatin side effects, like abdominal pain and indigestion, were already indicated with the medication, prior to the release of the FDA report.

The bulk of the report on Simvastatin side effects centers on its potential to have a severe damaging effect on muscles.

The report goes on to specify that Simvastatin side effects like this extreme muscle damage are much more likely to occur when a doctor prescribes a higher dose as compared to a lower dose.

In order to avoid the most severe Simvastatin side effects, the FDA has recommended that the highest dose of Simvastatin (80 mg) should almost never be considered a starting point for the drug.

In addition to severe muscle damage being added to the list of Simvastatin side effects, the FDA used their report to discuss the potential harmful drug interactions between Simvastatin and calcium channel blockers, anti-fungal medications and a number of other types of medicines. 

Here again, the FDA is suggesting lower doses of the medication to avoid an increase in Simvastatin side effects as a result of its interaction with other medications.

 The Possibility of Simvastatin Side Effects

If you are concerned with the recently published list of extreme Simvastatin side effects, it’s important to understand that most physicians wouldn’t consider prescribing the highest dose of Simvastatin, even prior to the report indicating dangerous effects. 

It is a common belief that, unless the patient is in dire straits, even the risk of subtle side effects is worth a slow increase of the drug over time. 

Further, many believe that this report probably should be applied to all medications within the statin class, and the Simvastatin side effects listed are most likely not unique to just Simvastatin. 

Another way to avoid Simvastatin side effects is by talking with your physician to make certain there are no measures you can take to decrease your need for the medication.

Many doctors prefer talking about non-pharmacological steps their patients can take to increase their overall health and reduce the need for medicine. 

Among these doctors, there is a belief that giving a patient medicine to improve their health numbers does little to incentivize them to a healthy lifestyle. 

Instead, they prefer to recommend things like losing weight, eating right and the moderation of red meat because the side effects of these activities are only beneficial.

List of Simvastatin Side Effects:

Common Simvastatin side effects:

• headache
• weakness, lack of energy
• runny or stuffy nose
• diarrhea
• itching
• muscle pain, tenderness

Rare Simvastatin side effects

• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• dark red urine
• fever
• dark red urine
• swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, lower legs or throat
• excessive fatigue
• hives
• joint pain
• rashes
• sensitivity to light
• blisters

• muscle cramps
• serious breakdown of muscle
• joint pain
• muscle aches
• depression
• insomnia
• memory loss
• anxiety
• allergic reactions
• breast development in boys
• hepatitis
• worsening of cataracts
• pancreatitis
• unexplained rash
• impotence
• itchy skin
• eczema
• increase in liver enzymes

Simvastatin and Grapefruit: A Bad Combination?

For many, the idea that grapefruit juice could be harmful to your health is simply hard to believe.

After all, the public has been exposed to dozens if not hundreds of reports over the last several decades that present the overwhelming positive effects that grapefruit juice can have on the body.

For example, evidence has shown that compounds found within grapefruit itself can reduce the risk of developing cancer and lessen atherosclerosis, a disorder causing the arteries to harden. 

Surprisingly, more recent studies are showing that grapefruit, more specifically drugs like Simvastatin and grapefruit combined, could actually be the cause of health problems for some. 

Grapefruit is a popular breakfast item in America and is taken in by nearly one out of every five people on any given day. 

This is important to the recent reports, outlining the potential dangers a combination of drugs like Simvastatin and grapefruit, for a couple of reasons. 

Because the reports are showing that grapefruit juice can interact with the way the body absorbs certain medications, the popularity of grapefruit becomes a potential detriment to our health, and the timing of its consumption becomes important as it coincides with a period that many people actually take their medications.

Simvastatin and Grapefruit: The Body’s Reaction

The bulk of the recent reports show that the potential danger in taking Simvastatin and grapefruit together lies in the increased amount of the drug in a patient’s blood as a result of the combination.

It appears that when patients take in a combination of Simvastatin and grapefruit, the grapefruit juice goes into action in the small intestine, blocking enzymes that usually work to lower the body’s absorption of many medications.

Once these enzymes are blocked, Simvastatin and grapefruit can have toxic effects, as the medication builds to dangerous levels in the patient’s blood.

Although it is interesting to note that many people are combining their Simvastatin and grapefruit at the same meal, the grapefruit reports also suggests that the danger of the combination is not contingent on them being consumed at the exact same time. 

Evidence shows that a patient ingesting their Simvastatin and grapefruit separately, even removed by as many as 24 hours is still subject to harmful effects. 

The indication that the combination of a drug taken daily, such as Simvastatin, and grapefruit is dangerous within any given 24 hour period of time leads to the recommendation now commonly given by doctors: if you are taking a medicine that could interact with grapefruit juice in a negative manner, you should refrain from consuming grapefruit juice entirely.

Simvastatin and Grapefruit is not the only Dangerous Combination

In addition to warning against just Simvastatin and grapefruit, this study suggests that doctors should be advising against grapefruit in combination with several varieties of medications because of their unpredictable accumulation in the blood. 

These newly advised against drugs in combination with grapefruit include several psychiatric medicines, blood pressure medications, intestinal medicines and of course, statins.  Certain antihistamines, medications used to treat HIV and some pain medications were also included in the warning.

The Possible Connection between Simvastatin and Diabetes

Recent data collected by trial research analysis has suggested that Simvastatin and diabetes could be linked. 

Numbers suggest that use of the medication may cause an increased risk in the patient’s potential to develop diabetes mellitus, a disorder caused by the body’s inability to produce insulin. 

However, those investigating the claim stress that the risk of connection between Simvastatin and diabetes should not prevent doctors from prescribing the drug for patients they believe to have a high risk of cardiovascular disease.

In the United States, Simvastatin is commonly prescribed to lower the cholesterol of patients. 

It is grouped with other drugs of its type called statins. 

It is considered a highly effective medication for patients with high cholesterol and is understood to be a good preventative against heart disease. 

Because of its known benefits, the link between Simvastatin and diabetes should be considered a minimal factor for patients who stand to gain a much higher level of health with the use of the medication.

Risk of Simvastatin and Diabetes

Evidence suggests that the actual risk of Simvastatin and diabetes becomes an issue for patients around nine percent of the time, meaning the risk of developing diabetes increases by nine percent in those taking the medicine. 

Although the research did show a connection between Simvastatin and diabetes, the small chance of risk further emphasizes the need for doctors to weigh the risk against the benefit that medications within the statin group can have.

 Researchers are not trying to detract from the link between Simvastatin and diabetes, and they aren’t saying it should be ignored. 

However, it’s important to note that even among those who eventually proved that Simvastatin and diabetes shared a connection, the evidence that Simvastatin worked in the population was the same. 

In other words, the study does show that Simvastatin and diabetes are a possible issue, but it does not show that Simvastatin is not effective.

Because Simvastatin is so commonly prescribed, many physicians are expressing appreciation for the report linking Simvastatin and diabetes. 

They are also cautious about the research because they believe that the media could make the risks sound much more dangerous than they actually are. 

Is Simvastatin and Diabetes really linked?

In addition to the suggestion that Simvastatin and diabetes may be linked in some patients, doctors also point out that niacin, which is also aggressively prescribed for patients at high cardiovascular risk, has also been reported as a potential cause of diabetes in a small portion of its users.

Overall, it appears the question surrounding the link between Simvastatin and diabetes is much less an issue for patients at a high risk for cardiovascular events. 

However, those taking Simvastatin who have only a slight need for the drug may want to discuss their treatments with their physician. 

In such cases, the increased risk of diabetes may be worth more attention, and it may be best for the patient to pursue alternative alleys to treat their cardiovascular issues. 

Doctors note that patients in this category may be more inclined to make lifestyle changes to improve their health and avoid risking diabetes later in life. 

Information about Simvastin Side Effects coming soon.