Zocor Warnings & Precautions

Drug Library
Zocor - Warnings & Precautions [simvastatin]

Consequently:

1. Use of simvastatin concomitantly with itraconazole, ketoconazole, erythromycin, clarithromycin, HIV protease inhibitors, nefazodone, or large quantities of grapefruit juice (> 1 quart daily) should be avoided. If treatment with itraconazole, ketoconazole, erythromycin, or clarithromycin is unavoidable, therapy with simvastatin should be suspended during the course of treatment. Concomitant use with other medicines labeled as having a potent inhibitory effect on CYP3A4 at therapeutic doses should be avoided unless the benefits of combined therapy outweigh the increased risk.

2. The dose of simvastatin should not exceed 10 mg daily in patients receiving concomitant medication with gemfibrozil. The combined use of simvastatin with gemfibrozil should be avoided, unless the benefits are likely to outweigh the increased risks of this drug combination. Caution should be used when prescribing other lipid-lowering drugs (other fibrates or lipid-lowering doses ( 1 g/ day) of niacin) with simvastatin, as these agents can cause myopathy when given alone. The benefit of further alterations in lipid levels by the combined use of simvastatin with fibrates or niacin should be carefully weighed against the potential risks of these combinations. Addition of fibrates or niacin to simvastatin typically provides little additional reduction in LDL-C, but further reductions of TG and further increases in HDL-C may be obtained.

3. The dose of simvastatin should not exceed 10 mg daily in patients receiving concomitant medication with cyclosporine. The benefits of the use of simvastatin in patients receiving cyclosporine should be carefully weighed against the risks of this combination.

4. The dose of simvastatin should not exceed 20 mg daily in patients receiving concomitant medication with amiodarone or verapamil. The combined use of simvastatin at doses higher than 20 mg daily with amiodarone or verapamil should be avoided unless the clinical benefit is likely to outweigh the increased risk of myopathy.