Zocor vs. Crestor

• Are Zocor and Crestor the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Zocor?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Crestor?
• What Is Zocor?
• What Is Crestor?
• What Drugs Interact with Zocor?
• What Drugs Interact with Crestor?
• How Should Zocor Be Taken?
• How Should Crestor Be Taken?

Zocor (simvastatin) and Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (“statin” drugs) that lower lipids and cholesterol levels used in conjunction with lifestyle changes such as a low-fat, low cholesterol diet, and exercise to reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease and ischemic strokes in patients with elevated lipids and cholesterol.

Zocor is also used to treat heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) in adolescents (males and females that are one-year post menarche, 10 to 17 years old).

Common side effects of Zocor include:

• heartburn,
• gas,
• bloating,
• stomach pain,
• indigestion,
• nausea,
• constipation,
• diarrhea,
• headache,
• joint pain,
• muscle pain,
• skin rash,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• mild memory problems or confusion, or
• cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, or sore throat.

Common side effects of Crestor include:

• headache,
• depression,
• muscle aches or pains,
• joint pain,
• sleep problems (insomnia or nightmares),
• constipation,
• nausea,
• stomach pain,
• indigestion, or
• diarrhea.

Infrequent but serious side effects of Crestor include rhabdomyolysis (muscle damage or destruction) that can lead to acute renal failure and liver damage.

Zocor (simvastatin) is a statin that lowers lipids and cholesterol levels used in conjunction with lifestyle changes such as a low-fat, low cholesterol diet, and exercise to reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease and ischemic strokes in patients with elevated lipids and cholesterol. Zocor is also used to treat heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) in adolescents (males and females that are one-year post menarche, 10 to 17 years old). Zocor is available in generic form.

Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) is a statin drug, that works by slowing the production of cholesterol by the body, used to lower cholesterol and fats (triglycerides) in the blood and is used to reduce the chances of developing problems like heart disease and strokes that can be caused, in part, by high cholesterol levels. It is often recommended to use Crestor in conjunction with a diet low in fats and cholesterol, and exercise (about 30 min. per day). Crestor is available in generic form.

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use. Certain other drugs can increase your risk of serious muscle problems, and it is very important that your doctor knows if you are using any of them:

• amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone);
• colchicine (Colcrys);
• danazol (Danocrine);
• diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Dilacor, Diltia, Diltzac, Taztia, Tiazac) or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan);
• gemfibrozil (Lopid), fenofibric acid (Fibricor, Trilipix), or fenofibrate (Antara, Fenoglide, Lipofen, Lofibra, Tricor, Triglide);
• ranolazine (Ranexa);
• medicines that contain niacin (Advicor, Niaspan, Niacor, Simcor, Slo-Niacin, and others); or
• drugs that weaken your immune system, such as steroids, cancer medicine, or medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, such as sirolimus (Rapamune) or tacrolimus (Prograf).

Also tell your doctor if you use:

• cimetidine (Tagamet);
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);
• spironolactone (Aldactone, Aldactazide); or
• any other "statin" medication such as atorvastatin (Lipitor, Caduet), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin and niacin (Advicor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), or simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin).

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with lovastatin. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Crestor may interact with birth control pills, cimetidine, blood thinners, spironolactone, niacin, or other "statin" medications. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Crestor should not be taken during pregnancy or during breastfeeding because of potential birth defects.

The usual dosage range is 5 to 40 mg/day. In patients with CHD or at high risk of CHD, ZOCOR can be started simultaneously with diet. The recommended usual starting dose is 10 or 20 mg once a day in the evening. For patients at high risk for a CHD event due to existing CHD, diabetes, peripheral vessel disease, history of stroke or other cerebrovascular disease, the recommended starting dose is 40 mg/day. Lipid determinations should be performed after 4 weeks of therapy and periodically thereafter.

Restricted Dosing For 80 mg

Due to the increased risk of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, particularly during the first year of treatment, use of the 80-mg dose of ZOCOR should be restricted to patients who have been taking simvastatin 80 mg chronically (e.g., for 12 months or more) without evidence of muscle toxicity .

Patients who are currently tolerating the 80-mg dose of ZOCOR who need to be initiated on an interacting drug that is contraindicated or is associated with a dose cap for simvastatin should be switched to an alternative statin with less potential for the drug-drug interaction.

Due to the increased risk of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, associated with the 80-mg dose of ZOCOR, patients unable to achieve their LDL-C goal utilizing the 40-mg dose of ZOCOR should not be titrated to the 80-mg dose, but should be placed on alternative LDL-C-lowering treatment(s) that provides greater LDL-C lowering.

Crestor is available in tablets of 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg strengths. Usual dose ranges from 5 to 20 mg per day. Crestor should be taken with water once a day at the same time of day, with or without food. Dosage may be adjusted depending on what medicines the patient is already taking.