Zocor heart-pro (simvastatin)

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe. If your doctor prescribes you any new medicines make sure he knows that you are taking this one.

This medicine should not be taken by people who are already taking any of the following medicines:

- prescription cholesterol-lowering medicines, eg statins, fibrates, nicotinic acid
- itraconazole
- ketoconazole
- clarithromycin
- erythromycin
- telithromycin
- protease inhibitors for HIV infection, eg nelfinavir
- nefazadone.

If you get an infection that your doctor thinks is necessary to treat with the antifungals itraconazole or ketoconazole, or the antibiotics erythromycin, clarithromycin or telithromycin, you should stop taking Zocor heart-pro during the course of treatment.

There may be an increased risk of side effects on the muscles (myopathy) if this medicine is taken with the following medicines (if you are taking any of these you should consult your doctor before taking this medicine):

- ciclosporin
- danazol
- fibrates for lowering cholesterol, eg bezafibrate, gemfibrozil
- nicotinic acid or niacin (more than one gram per day).

The anti-blood-clotting effect of anticoagulants such as warfarin may be increased by simvastatin. For this reason, if you are taking an anticoagulant you should consult your doctor before taking this medicine. Your doctor may want to check your blood-clotting time (INR) when you start or stop treatment with simvastatin.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

Simvador

Zocor

Prescription-only simvastatin tablets are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.

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