What is Zocor
 Zocor
blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the
body.
Zocor
is used to reduce the total amounts of cholesterol, LDL (bad)
cholesterol, triglycerides (another type of fat), and apolipoprotein
B (a protein needed to make cholesterol) in your blood. Zocor
(Zocor) is also used to increase the level of HDL (good) cholesterol
in your blood. These actions may reduce the risk of hardening
of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke,
and peripheral vascular disease.
Zocor
may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this
medication guide.
General medical information about
Zocor Do not take Zocor without first talking to your doctor
if you have liver disease.
Alcohol and Zocor can
both damage your liver. Discuss with your doctor the amount
of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if
Zocor is the best choice for lowering your cholesterol.
Do not take Zocor if you are pregnant, if you are
planning a pregnancy, or if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience
unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially
if it is accompanied by a fever, flulike symptoms, or yellowing
of your skin or eyes.
Who should not take Zocor
Do not take Zocor without first talking to your doctor
if you have liver disease.
Before taking Zocor, tell
your doctor if you
- have kidney disease,
-
drink alcoholic beverages,
- have a chronic muscular
disease, or
- have a blood disorder.
You may
not be able to take Zocor, or you may require a dosage adjustment
or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of
the conditions listed above.
Zocor is in the FDA
pregnancy category X. This means that Zocor will cause birth
defects if it is taken during pregnancy. Cholesterol is
very important for the proper development of a baby. Do
not take Zocor if you are pregnant or if you are planning
a pregnancy.
It is not known whether Zocor passes
into breast milk. Do not take Zocor without first talking
to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Zocor is not approved for use by children.
How should take Zocor Take Zocor exactly as directed by your doctor. If
you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist,
nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
Take each
dose with a full glass of water.
For the greatest
effect, Zocor is usually taken at bedtime or with an evening
meal. Follow your doctor's instructions.
Your doctor
may want to monitor your liver function with blood tests
before starting treatment with Zocor and every six months
after both the start of your treatment and any increase
in dose. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor
can determine how much monitoring you will require.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Zocor.
The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous effects.
Discuss the use of grapefruit and grapefruit juice with
your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit
products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. To realize beneficial
effects from Zocor, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods.
Do not stop taking Zocor without first talking to
your doctor. It may be weeks or months before beneficial
effects are seen from this medication.
Store Zocor
at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
If you miss a dose: Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However,
if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed
dose and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do
not take a double dose of this medication.
What happens if you overdose: Seek emergency medical attention.
Symptoms
of a Zocor overdose include nausea, diarrhea, stomach distress,
and indigestion.
Avoid while taking Zocor Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with
Zocor. The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous
effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit and grapefruit juice
with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount
of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking
to your doctor.
Alcohol and Zocor can both damage
your liver. Discuss with your doctor the amount of alcohol
that you drink so that it can be determined if Zocor is
the best choice for lowering your cholesterol.
Possible side effects of Zocor If you experience any of the following serious side
effects, stop taking Zocor and call your doctor immediately:
- an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing
of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face;
or hives);
- muscle aches, pain or weakness;
-
"flu-like" symptoms;
- decreased urine
or rust-colored urine;
- blurred vision; or
-
yellowing of your skin or eyes.
Other, less serious
side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take
Zocor and talk to your doctor if you experience
-
gas, bloating, nausea, stomach upset, heartburn, abdominal
pain, constipation, or diarrhea;
- cough;
-
headache; or
- insomnia.
Side effects other
than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor
about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially
bothersome.
What other drugs will affect Zocor Do not take Zocor without first talking to your doctor
if you are taking any of the following medicines:
-
cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
- gemfibrozil
(Lopid);
- niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Nicotinex, others);
- nefazodone (Serzone);
- clarithromycin (Biaxin);
- erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Ilotycin,
Eryc, PCE, Ilosone, others); or
- itraconazole (Sporanox),
fluconazole (Diflucan), or ketoconazole (Nizoral).
These medications may interact with Zocor and damage your
muscles.
Before taking Zocor, tell your doctor if
you are taking any of the following medicines:
-
other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine
(Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
- digoxin (Lanoxin,
Lanoxicaps);
- warfarin (Coumadin); or
- a
protease inhibitor such as amprenavir (Agenerase), indinavir
(Crixivan); nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir), or
saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase).
You may require
a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment
if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
Drugs
other than those listed here may also interact with Zocor.
Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription
or over-the-counter medicines. |
