How does simvastatin work?
Simvastatin works by stopping your liver from making cholesterol. This lowers your blood cholesterol level.
During your first 12 months on this medicine, you'll be offered a couple of routine tests to make sure your liver is working properly.
How long do statins take to work?
Your cholesterol levels should drop noticeably within 4 weeks, if you take your medicine regularly, as prescribed.
Are there any long-term side effects?
Simvastatin is safe to take for a long time. In fact, it works best if you take it for a long time.
How does it compare with other medicines for high cholesterol?
Statins all work in the same way, but they differ in how well they lower cholesterol.
There are several other statin medicines for lowering your cholesterol, including:
- atorvastatin
- fluvastatin
- pravastatin
- rosuvastatin
If you have a side effect with one statin, it may not happen with another statin.
Your doctor will find the right statin and dose for you, depending on your medical history, cholesterol level and the other medicines you take.
Are statins safe?
Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol and most people will not get any side effects while taking them.
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you are concerned about the safety of statins.
Is simvastatin addictive?
No, there's no evidence that simvastatin is addictive. You will not get any withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it.
Will taking simvastatin increase my risk of diabetes?
You are likely to be at greater risk of developing diabetes if you have high levels of sugars and fats in your blood, are overweight and have high blood pressure. There is some evidence that simvastatin can raise blood sugar in some patients.
If you are concerned, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. They can explain how the benefits of taking statins are likely to outweigh this small increased risk.
Will it stop my contraception working?
Simvastatin will not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception.
Can I drive or ride a bike?
Occasionally, simvastatin can make you feel dizzy. If this happens to you, do not drive or ride a bike until you feel better.
It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking simvastatin. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.
Can I drink alcohol while taking simvastatin?
Yes, you can drink alcohol while taking simvastatin.
However, drinking a lot of alcohol may increase the chances of you getting muscle and liver side effects.
Is there any food or drink I need to avoid?
Do not drink grapefruit juice if you're taking simvastatin. It increases the levels of simvastatin in your blood.
Can lifestyle changes help lower cholesterol?
There are lifestyle changes you can make that will help lower your cholesterol:
- make sure you’re a healthy weight
- eat well – cut saturated fat and increase fibre, fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and fish
- quit smoking
- cut down on alcohol
- try to exercise every day