What is Zocor?
Zocor is a medication taken by patients along with their health diet to lower fats and bad cholesterol levels while raising their good cholesterol in the blood. It belongs to a group of meds called statins, and it works by decreasing the cholesterol amount produced by the liver. Reducing triglycerides and bad cholesterol while increasing good cholesterol helps patients eliminate a risk of heart diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. They need to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating good foods, stop smoking, and do regular exercises to help Zocor work better.
Take this medicine orally, with and without food, once a day, in the evening. Regular doses are based on medical condition, age, individual response and other important factors. However, a maximum daily dose shouldn’t exceed 40 mg, and you should understand the benefits and risks of taking higher doses. Avoid drinking grapefruit juice and eating grapefruits when undergoing this treatment. Normally, it takes up to 1 month to experience the full benefit of using Zocor.
Before starting this treatment, tell doctors if you have any allergic reactions and report your medical history, especially if you have alcohol use, kidney and liver problems. Avoid drinking alcohol when taking Zocor, because it increases a possible risk of having liver complications. Older patients are more prone to experiencing side effects caused by this medication, especially muscle issues. This treatment is not designed for pregnant women, because it may harm unborn babies. Besides, nursing mothers shouldn’t take this medicine because of possible risks.
Avoid them because they tend to change the way medications work while increasing the risk of having severe adverse effects. It’s not allowed to start, stop and adjust the doses of any medicine without approving this step at the hospital. Some of the most common pharmaceutical products that may potentially interact with Zocor include different blood thinners, azole antifungals, macrolide antibiotics, HIV medications, HIV protease inhibitors and others. So you should be very careful when taking any of them together. It’s not allowed to take red-yeast rice products while undergoing this treatment, because they may contain statin known as lovastatin. This unwanted combination increases a possible risk of having severe liver and muscle problems. Make a full list of other drugs that you’re taking, including herbal supplements, vitamins, minerals, etc.
The good news is that serious side effects are very rare when taking Zocor. Only a few patients may end up with such symptoms as confusion or mild memory issues. If you experience these rare signs, contact your doctor to adjust this treatment immediately. This medication may also result in specific muscle problems, so doctors should be informed whether you have such symptoms as sudden urine changes, muscle tenderness, weakness and pain. The intake of Zocor may rarely result in different liver issues, so get emergency medical help when you experience such rare and severe side effects as yellow eyes and skin, severe stomach pain, dark urine, persistent vomiting and nausea. Finally, Zocor may rarely cause allergic reactions, and they are characterized by such signs as swelling, itching, skin rash, severe dizziness, difficulty breathing, drowsiness and others. Notify your doctor about other similar symptoms.
Recommendations for Use
Precautions and Contraindications
Drug Interactions
Side Effects