WorstPills.org - Search Results for simvastatin (ZOCOR)

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Search Term: simvastatin (ZOCOR)

Drug Profiles \| Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles \| Additional Information from Public Citizen \| Health Letter Articles

Drug and Dietary Supplement Profiles

A comprehensive review of the safety and effectiveness of this drug. If the drug is not a Do Not Use product, information on adverse effects, drug interactions and how to use the medication are included.

Search results below include drug profiles where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion

gemfibrozil (LOPID)
We list this drug as a Do Not Use drug because, unlike for other drugs for high cholesterol, there is no evidence that it decreases the risk of heart disease. It also causes cancer in animals.
fluvastatin (LESCOL, LESCOL XL)
rosuvastatin (CRESTOR)
We list this drug as a Do Not Use drug because it causes kidney, muscle and liver damage.

Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles

Search results below include Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion

Extended-Release Niacin (NIASPAN): Now Designated as Do Not Use [hide all summaries]
(April 2018)
Extended-release niacin is approved by the FDA to reduce elevated cholesterol levels and to reduce the risk of recurrent, nonfatal heart attacks in patients with histories of previous heart attacks and elevated cholesterol levels. Learn why we just changed the designation of niacin extended-release tablets from Limited Use to Do Not Use.
Still No Good Evidence That Nonstatin Drugs Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes [hide all summaries]
(February 2016)
Statins have long been a mainstay of treatment for patients with high LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and cardiovascular disease. In this article, we explain why you should avoid combining a nonstatin cholesterol-lowering dug with a statin.
Niacin Ineffective in Treating Cardiovascular Disease [hide all summaries]
(August 2013)
A new study casts serious doubt on the usefulness of long-popular niacin products to treat or prevent cardiovascular disease.
A Review of the ‘Gliptin’ Diabetes Drugs [hide all summaries]
(March 2012)
Find out why you should not use any of the three recently-approved diabetes drugs known as "gliptins".
Sitagliptin With Simvastatin (JUVISYNC): A New Drug Combination to Avoid [hide all summaries]
(March 2012)
The article discusses the reasons why we have categorized JUVISYNC as a DO NOT USE drug.
Drug Mix-Ups [hide all summaries]
(June 2011)
This article lists 355 drugs with names that are often confused with similar-sounding drug names. Find out what you can do to prevent getting the wrong drug.
Calcium Channel Blocker Drug Interactions [hide all summaries]
(May 2008)
This article lists more than 60 prescription drugs that can interact with calcium channel blocking drugs such as amlodipine (NORVASC),diltiazem (CARDIZEM, DILACOR XR TIAZAC)or nifedipine (PROCARDIA)to either cause toxicity or to lessen the effectiveness of the calcium channel blocking drugs. Included in the lists are a number of drugs that we list in Worst Pills, Best Pills as DO NOT USE or LIMITED USE drugs. The article also explains the different kinds of toxicity that can ensue from these interactions.
Macrolide Antibiotic Drug Interactions [hide all summaries]
(February 2008)
The article discusses the adverse drug interactions between either of two widely-prescribed macrolide antibiotics, erythromycin (as in ERYTHROCIN) and clarithromycin (BIAXIN)and more than 40 other drugs that are listed in a table in the article. It also describes the nature of the adverse interactions that can occur.
Drug Interactions: Warfarin (COUMADIN) [hide all summaries]
(December 2007)
This article explains how to understand the International Normalized Ratio (INR), a test applied to a sample of a patient’s blood to determine how “thin” it is when you are using the blood thinner COUMADIN (warfarin). In addition, the article lists more than 50 drugs or dietary supplements that can interact harmfully with COUMADIN to cause the blood to be too thin (abnormal bleeding) or not thin enough which could result in lessening the effect of COUMADIN in stopping blood clot formation.
Don't Get Sold By Drug Ads on TV, Says Study [hide all summaries]
(May 2007)
Not only does this study find that consumer drug ads are not educational, it also says that the ads may oversell the benefits of the drugs and could put the public health in danger. For example, of the 24 drugs included in this advertising study, seven are listed as Do Not Use in Worst Pills, Best Pills publications. You should not rely on direct-to-consumer television advertisements as a source of drug information.
Nightmares Associated with Atorvastatin (LIPITOR) [hide all summaries]
(June 2006)
Assume that any new symptom you develop after starting a new drug may be caused by the drug. If you develop a new symptom after starting atorvastatin or other statins (such as nightmares), report it to your doctor. The drug may be responsible.
A Review of Ezetimibe (ZETIA) and Ezetimibe with Simvastatin (VYTORIN) For Cholesterol Lowering [hide all summaries]
(December 2004)
We are concerned about any new drug but are particularly concerned about the use of ZETIA together with statins.
Protecting Profits: Amlodipine With Atorvastatin (CADUET) For High Blood Pressure And High Cholesterol [hide all summaries]
(August 2004)
We can think of no medical reason why you should be taking Caduet unless you are being treated satisfactorily with doses of amlodipine and atorvastatin that are available as Caduet. If you have not been tried on more effective drugs for high blood pressure such as diuretics or beta-blockers, amlodipine is a poor choice.
Do Not Use! Rosuvastatin (Crestor) - A New But More Dangerous Cholesterol Lowering 'Statin' Drug [hide all summaries]
(October 2003)
Rosuvastatin (CRESTOR) became the sixth cholesterol lowering "statin" drug on the U.S. There is no medical reason for you to be taking rosuvastatin when there are three safer and more effective statins, in terms of reducing cardiovascular events, on the market.

Additional Information from Public Citizen

Search results below include Additional Information from Public Citizen where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion

Third Class of Drugs Is Bad Idea, Public Citizen Tells FDA [hide all summaries]
Allowing patients to obtain certain drugs on the basis of counseling by a pharmacist but without a doctor’s prescription is a bad idea, Public Citizen told the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today at a public hearing.
Letter to FDA shows that Crestor has higher rates of rhabdomyolysis compared to other statins (HRG Publication #1729) [hide all summaries]
Crestor (rosuvastatin) has 2.8 times the rate of rhabdomyolysis of the second most toxic statin, analysis shows
Letter to FDA Renewing Call for Crestor to Be Removed From Market. Rate of Kidney Damage in Crestor Patients Is 75 Times Higher Than in Patients Taking Other Cholesterol Drugs (HRG Publication #1710) [hide all summaries]
Letter to FDA Renewing Call for Crestor to Be Removed From Market. Rate of Kidney Damage in Crestor Patients Is 75 Times Higher Than in Patients Taking Other Cholesterol Drugs (HRG Publication #1710)

Health Letter Articles

Search results below include Health Letter Articles where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion

Drug Safety Withdrawals: Who is Responsible for Notifying Patients? [hide all summaries]
(December 2002)
The following editorial, by Health Letter Editor Dr. Sidney Wolfe, appeared in the December issue of Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. Ultimately, the cost for such notification should be borne by the pharmaceutical company making the dangerous drug. Pharmacists and/or physicians, if the latter have record access, should be reimbursed for doing the company’s work. In addition, the FDA should be given new legislative authority to impose mandatory drug recalls with an enforceable withdrawal schedule governing the level and rapidity of recall and patient notification.

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