Can you crush simvastatin

Mucous membrane irritant; Note: accidentally opened or damaged capsules require rigorous precautions to avoid inhalation or contact with the skin or mucous membranes i. Slow-release; Note: crushing, chewing, or dissolving capsules can cause rapid release and absorption of a potentially fatal dose. Note: irritant; avoid contact with skin or mucous membranes; avoid contact with crushed or broken tablets. Add to cart. AcipHex rabeprazole Tablet Slow-release AcipHex Sprinkle rabeprazole Capsule Slow-release; Note: contents are intended to be sprinkled on food or liquid but should not be chewed or crushed.

Acticlate doxycycline hyclate Capsule; Tablet Film-coated; tablet is scored and may be split; Note: mg tablets can be broken into two-thirds or one-third to provide a mg and 50 mg strength, respectively Actiq fenta NYL Lozenge Slow-release; Note: this lollipop delivery system requires the patient to slowly allow dissolution. Actonel risedronate Tablet Irritant; Note: chewed, crushed, or sucked tablets may cause oropharyngeal ulceration.

Copiktra develisib Capsule Antineoplastic Coreg CR carvedilol Capsule Slow-release a Note: may add contents of capsule to chilled, not warm, applesauce and consume immediately Cotempla XR-ODT methylphenidate Tablet Slow-release; oral disintegrating tablet designed to disintegrate on the tongue.

Creon 5, 10, 20 pancrelipase Capsule Slow-release a Cresemba isavuconazium Capsule - Crixivan indinavir Capsule Taste; Note: capsule may be opened and mixed with fruit puree e. List of Confused Drug Names. Medications requiring special safeguards to reduce the risk of errors and minimize harm. View all Recommendations. Irritant; Note: chewed, crushed, or sucked tablets may cause oropharyngeal ulceration. Slow-release; Note: chewed, cut, or crushed tablets may cause oropharyngeal irritation.

Sublingual form g ; Note: chewing or swallowing may result in lower bioavailability. There's some evidence simvastatin works better at lowering cholesterol if you take it in the evening rather than in the morning. If you occasionally forget to take a dose, take your next dose the next day at the usual time.

Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take extra doses. If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you're worried or if you take more than 1 extra dose. Simvastatin seems to be a very safe medicine and it's unusual to have side effects. However, different statins can affect people in different ways. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if side effects bother you or don't go away.

They may recommend taking a different statin. One rare but serious side effect is unexplained muscle aches and pains. This is more likely if you're taking a higher dose of simvastatin - and it can happen a few weeks or months after you first start taking this medicine.

Report any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness to a doctor straight away. Another very rare side effect can be memory loss. This usually goes away when you stop taking the medicine. It happens rarely, but less than 1 in 1, people taking simvastatin may have a serious side effect. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to simvastatin.

These are not all the side effects of simvastatin. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. Talk to your doctor if you're planning to become pregnant. It's best to stop taking simvastatin at least 3 months before you start trying for a baby. If you become pregnant while taking simvastatin, stop taking the medicine and tell your doctor. It's not known if simvastatin passes into breast milk, but it may cause problems for your baby.

You may be able to stop taking simvastatin temporarily while you breastfeed. If you're taking simvastatin and need to take one of these medicines, your doctor may:. St John's wort, a herbal medicine taken for depression , reduces the amount of simvastatin in your blood, so it does not work as well. Talk to your doctor if you're thinking about starting St John's wort, as it will change how well simvastatin works.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. Simvastatin acts on the liver to stop it making cholesterol. This lowers your blood cholesterol level. For the first 12 months on this medicine, you'll be offered a couple of routine tests to make sure your liver is working OK.

Your cholesterol levels should drop noticeably within 4 weeks — if you take your medicine regularly, as prescribed. Usually, treatment with a statin such as simvastatin is for life. The benefits will only continue for as long as you take it. If you stop taking simvastatin without starting a different treatment, your cholesterol level may rise again. You may have read negative stories about statins, but they're thought to be very safe, effective medicines. Statins are thought to have very few side effects.

Sometimes the side effects that people report aren't related to their medicine. However, if you're concerned about the safety of statins, talk to your doctor. Simvastatin is safe to take for a long time. In fact, it works best if you take it for a long time. No, there's no evidence that simvastatin is addictive. You will not get any withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it.

You may want to stop simvastatin if you think you're having side effects. Talk to your doctor first to see if it really is a side effect of simvastatin or an unrelated problem. Your doctor may decide to lower your dose or change your medicine. You will not get any withdrawal symptoms. However, stopping simvastatin may cause your cholesterol to rise.

Cutting into these types of pills may cause them to lose their ability to release all of their medication over a long period of time. Instead, you would be introducing a large dose of medication into your system at one time, which would be dangerous. Cholesterol-lowering drugs that are extended-release formulations include:. Capsules are another form of the drug that cannot be cut in half.

The drug is usually contained in an oval-type covering. By cutting these medications, you may cause a lot of the drug to be released outside of the capsule, which would result in a very low dose of your cholesterol-lowering medication. There are also other medications that should not be crushed or cut per manufacturer's instructions. Before deciding to split your pills in half, talk with your healthcare provider. Together, you can decide how to get the best benefit out of your cholesterol-lowering medication at the most reasonable cost.

Looking to start a diet to better manage your cholesterol? Changing lifelong eating habits can be scary at first, but our guide will make it easier. Cardiovascular effect of discontinuing statins for primary prevention at the age of 75 years: a nationwide population-based cohort study in France.

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