Skip to main content

Zocor Side Effects

Generic name: simvastatin

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Dec 4, 2023.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Zocor Side Effects associated with simvastatin. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Zocor.

Applies to simvastatin: oral suspension, oral tablet.

Serious side effects of Zocor

Along with its needed effects, simvastatin (the active ingredient contained in Zocor) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking simvastatin:

More common

  • dizziness
  • fainting
  • fast or irregular heartbeat

Less common

  • bladder pain
  • bloody or cloudy urine
  • blurred vision
  • body aches or pain
  • chills
  • cough
  • dark-colored urine
  • difficult, burning, or painful urination
  • difficulty with breathing
  • difficulty with moving
  • dry mouth
  • ear congestion
  • fever
  • flushed, dry skin
  • frequent urge to urinate
  • fruit-like breath odor
  • headache
  • increased hunger
  • increased thirst
  • increased urination
  • joint pain
  • loss of consciousness
  • lower back or side pain
  • muscle cramps, spasms, stiffness, pain, tenderness, wasting, or weakness
  • nausea
  • runny or stuffy nose
  • sneezing
  • sore throat
  • stomachache
  • sweating
  • swelling
  • swollen joints
  • trouble breathing
  • unexplained weight loss
  • unusual tiredness or weakness
  • vomiting

Incidence not known

  • blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
  • bloating
  • burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
  • chest tightness
  • constipation
  • diarrhea
  • difficulty with chewing, swallowing, or talking
  • double vision
  • drooping eyelids
  • general tiredness and weakness
  • indigestion
  • large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
  • light-colored stools
  • loss of appetite
  • muscle pain or weakness
  • pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
  • pale skin
  • puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  • red skin lesions, often with a purple center
  • red, irritated eyes
  • skin rash, hives, or itching
  • sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
  • unusual bleeding or bruising
  • upper right abdominal or stomach pain
  • weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
  • yellow eyes or skin

Other side effects of Zocor

Some side effects of simvastatin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

  • acid or sour stomach
  • belching
  • burning feeling in the chest or stomach
  • dizziness or lightheadedness
  • excess air or gas in the stomach or intestines
  • feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
  • full feeling
  • heartburn
  • lack or loss of strength
  • pain or tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones
  • passing gas
  • sensation of spinning
  • skin rash, encrusted, scaly, and oozing
  • stomach discomfort, upset, or pain
  • tenderness in the stomach area
  • trouble sleeping

Incidence not known

  • being forgetful
  • depression
  • discoloration of the skin
  • hair loss or thinning of the hair
  • inability to have or keep an erection
  • loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance

Managing side effects (general information)

For healthcare professionals

Applies to simvastatin: oral suspension, oral tablet.

General

The more commonly reported adverse effects have included upper respiratory infection, headache, abdominal pain, constipation, and nausea.[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

This drug causes dose-related myopathy which, in rare cases maybe severe and sometimes take the form of rhabdomyolysis with or without renal failure secondary to myoglobinuria; rarely fatalities have occurred. The incidence of myopathy with the 80 mg dose has been reported as disproportionately higher than that observed at lower doses and the risk of myopathy with simvastatin 80 mg/day is greater compared with other statins with similar or greater LDL-C lowering efficacy.[Ref]

Hepatic

Persistent elevations in transaminases of up to 3 times the upper limit of normal (3xULN) have been reported in 1% of patients. With therapy discontinuation or interruption, transaminase levels generally returned to pretreatment levels. There have been rare postmarketing reports of hepatic failure.[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

Hematologic

Nervous system

Renal

Cardiovascular

Dermatologic

Hypersensitivity

Immunologic

Ocular

Psychiatric

Genitourinary

Oncologic

Metabolic

Respiratory

Other

References

1. Halkin A, Lossos IS, Mevorach D (1996) "HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor-induced impotence." Ann Pharmacother, 30, p. 192

2. Katznelson S (1999) "Immunosuppressive and antiproliferative effects of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors." Transplant Proc, 31, s22-4

3. Katznelson S (1999) "Effect of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on chronic allograft rejection." Kidney Int, 56, s117-21

4. Walker JF (1989) "Simvastatin: the clinical profile." Am J Med, 87, s44-6

5. Simons LA (1993) "Simvastatin in severe primary hypercholesterolemia: efficacy, safety, and tolerability in 595 patients over 18 weeks. The Principal Investigators." Clin Cardiol, 16, p. 317-22

6. Bilheimer DW (1990) "Long-term clinical tolerance of lovastatin and simvastatin." Cardiology, 77, p. 58-65

7. (2001) "Product Information. Zocor (simvastatin)." Merck & Co., Inc

8. Chariot P, Abadia R, Agnus D, Danan C, Charpentier C, Gherardi RK (1993) "Simvastatin-induced rhabdomyolysis followed by a MELAS syndrome." Am J Med, 94, p. 109-10

9. McDonagh J, Winocour P, Walker DJ (1993) "Musculoskeletal manifestations during simvastatin therapy." Br J Rheumatol, 32, p. 647-8

10. Plosker GL, Mctavish D (1995) "Simvastatin - a reappraisal of its pharmacology and therapeutic efficacy in hypercholesterolaemia." Drugs, 50, p. 334-63

11. Pedersen TR, Berg K, Cook TJ, Faergeman O, Haghfelt T, Kjekshus J, Miettinen T, Musliner TA, Olsson AG, Pyorala K, Thorgeirsso (1996) "Safety and tolerability of cholesterol lowering with simvastatin during 5 years in the scandinavian simvastatin survival study." Arch Intern Med, 156, p. 2085-92

12. Vanpuijenbroek EP, Dubufvereijken PWG, Spooren PFMJ, Vandoormaal JJ (1996) "Possible increased risk of rhabdomyolysis during concomitant use of simvastatin and gemfibrozil." J Intern Med, 240, p. 403-4

13. van Puijenbroek EP, Du Buf-Vereijken PW, Spooren PF, van Doormaal JJ (1996) "Possible increased risk of rhabdomyolysis during concomitant use of simvastatin and gemfibrozil." J Intern Med, 240, p. 403-4

14. Alvarez JM, Rawdanowiz TJ, Goldstein J (1998) "Rhadbdomyolysis after coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient receiving simvastatin." J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 116, p. 654-5

15. Weise WJ, Possidente CJ (2000) "Fatal rhabdomyolysis associated with simvastatin in a renal transplant patient." Am J Med, 108, p. 351-2

16. Meier CR, Schlienger RG, Kraenzlin ME, Schlegel B, Jick H (2000) "HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and the risk of fractures." JAMA, 283, p. 3205-10

17. Khattak FH, Morris IM, Branford WA (1994) "Simvastatin-associated dermatomyositis." Br J Rheumatol, 33, p. 199

18. ChoquetKastylevsky G, Kanitakis J, Dumas V, Descotes J, Faure M, Claudy A (2001) "Eosinophilic fasciitis and simvastatin." Arch Intern Med, 161, p. 1456-7

19. Chan MH, Mak TW, Chiu RW, Chow CC, Chan IH, Lam CW (2001) "Simvastatin increases serum osteocalcin concentration in patients treated for hypercholesterolaemia." J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 86, p. 4556-9

20. Peces R, Pobes A (2001) "Rhabdomyolysis associated with concurrent use of simvastatin and diltiazem." Nephron, 89, p. 117-8

21. Federman DG, Hussain F, Walters AB (2001) "Fatal rhabdomyolysis caused by lipid-lowering therapy." South Med J, 94, p. 1023-6

22. Omar MA, Wilson JP (2002) "FDA adverse event reports on statin-associated rhabdomyolysis." Ann Pharmacother, 36, p. 288-95

23. Maxa JL, Melton LB, Ogu CC, Sills MN, Limanni A (2002) "Rhabdomyolysis after concomitant use of cyclosporine, simvastatin, gemfibrozil, and itraconazole." Ann Pharmacother, 36, p. 820-3

24. (2002) "Summaries for patients. Muscle abnormalities in four patients taking statins to treat unfavorable cholesterol levels." Ann Intern Med, 137, I45

25. Grundy SM (2002) "Can statins cause chronic low-grade myopathy?" Ann Intern Med, 137, p. 617-8

26. Sinzinger H, Wolfram R, Peskar BA (2002) "Muscular side effects of statins." J Cardiovasc Pharmacol, 40, p. 163-71

27. Itakura H, Vaughn D, Haller DG, O'Dwyer PJ (2003) "Rhabdomyolysis from cytochrome p-450 interaction of ketoconazole and simvastatin in prostate cancer." J Urol, 169, p. 613

28. Diaczok BJ, Shali R (2003) "Statins unmasking a mitochondrial myopathy: a case report and proposed mechanism of disease." South Med J, 96, p. 318-20

29. Graham DJ, Staffa JA, Shatin D, et al. (2004) "Incidence of hospitalized rhabdomyolysis in patients treated with lipid-lowering drugs." JAMA, 292, p. 2585-90

30. Gonyeau MJ (2005) "Statins and osteoporosis: a clinical review." Pharmacotherapy, 25, p. 228-43

31. Finsterer J, Zuntner G (2005) "Rhabdomyolysis from Simvastatin triggered by infection and muscle exertion." South Med J, 98, p. 827-9

32. Mukhtar RY, Reckless JP (2005) "Statin-induced myositis: a commonly encountered or rare side effect?" Curr Opin Lipidol, 16, p. 640-7

33. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics."

34. Arora R, Liebo M, Maldonado F (2006) "Statin-induced myopathy: the two faces of Janus." J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther, 11, p. 105-12

35. Ramdass MJ, Singh G, Andrews B (2007) "Simvastatin-induced bilateral leg compartment syndrome and myonecrosis associated with hypothyroidism." Postgrad Med J, 83, p. 152-3

36. Molden E, Andersson KS (2007) "Simvastatin-associated rhabdomyolysis after coadministration of macrolide antibiotics in two patients." Pharmacotherapy, 27, p. 603-7

37. Mauro VF, MacDonald JL (1991) "Simvastatin: a review of its pharmacology and clinical use." DICP, 25, p. 257-64

38. Nakad A, Bataille L, Hamoir V, Sempoux C, Horsmans Y (1999) "Atorvastatin-induced acute hepatitis with absence of cross-toxicity with simvastatin." Lancet, 353, p. 1763-4

39. Chagnon JP, Cerf M (1992) "Simvastatin-induced protein-losing enteropathy." Am J Gastroenterol, 87, p. 257

40. Johnson JL, Loomis IB (2006) "A case of simvastatin-associated pancreatitis and review of statin-associated pancreatitis." Pharmacotherapy, 26, p. 414-22

41. Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee (ADRAC) and the Adverse Drug Reactions Unit of the TGA (2007) Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin. http://www.tga.gov.au/adr/aadrb/aadr0612.htm

42. Sundram F, Roberts P, Kennedy B, Pavord S (2004) "Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura associated with statin treatment." Postgrad Med J, 80, p. 551-2

43. Phan T, Mcleod JG, Pollard JD, Peiris O, Rohan A, Halpern JP (1995) "Peripheral neuropathy associated with simvastatin." J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 58, p. 625-8

44. Orsi A, Sherman O, Woldeselassie (2001) "Simvastatin-associated memory loss." Pharmacotherapy, 21, p. 767-9

45. Gaist D, Jeppesen U, Andersen M, Garcia Rodriguez LA, Hallas J, Sindrup SH (2002) "Statins and risk of polyneuropathy: a case-control study." Neurology, 58, p. 1333-7

46. Muldoon MF, Ryan CM, Sereika SM, Flory JD, Manuck SB (2004) "Randomized trial of the effects of simvastatin on cognitive functioning in hypercholesterolemic adults." Am J Med, 117, p. 823-9

47. Morales K, Wittink M, Datto C, et al. (2006) "Simvastatin causes changes in affective processes in elderly volunteers." J Am Geriatr Soc, 54, p. 70-6

48. Gregoor PJ (2006) "Atorvastatin may cause nightmares." BMJ, 332, p. 950

49. Galatti L, Polimeni G, Salvo F, Romani M, Sessa A, Spina E (2006) "Short-term memory loss associated with rosuvastatin." Pharmacotherapy, 26, p. 1190-2

50. Padala KP, Padala PR, Potter JF (2006) "Simvastatin-induced decline in cognition." Ann Pharmacother, 40, p. 1880-3

51. Pedersen TR, Kjekshus J, Berg K, Haghfelt T, Faergeman O, Thorgeirsson G, Pyorala K, Miettinen T, Wilhelmsen L, Olsson AG, Wedel (1994) "Randomised trial of cholesterol lowering in 4444 patients with coronary heart disease: the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (4S)." Lancet, 344, p. 1383-9

52. Feldmann R, Mainetti C, Saurat JH (1993) "Skin lesions due to treatment with simvastatin (Zocor)." Dermatology, 186, p. 272

53. Krasovec M, Elsner P, Burg G (1993) "Generalized eczematous skin rash possibly due to HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors." Dermatology, 186, p. 248-52

54. Bannwarth B, Miremont G, Papapietro PM (1992) "Lupuslike syndrome associated with simvastatin." Arch Intern Med, 152, p. 1093

55. Rudski L, Rabinovitch MA, Danoff D (1998) "Systemic immune reactions to HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors - Report of 4 cases and review of the literature." Medicine, 77, p. 378-83

56. Duits N, Bos FM (1993) "Depressive symptoms and cholesterol-lowering drugs." Lancet, 341, p. 114

57. Linnebur SA, Hiatt WH (2007) "Probable Statin-Induced Testicular Pain (January)." Ann Pharmacother

58. Newman TB, Hulley SB (1996) "Carcinogenicity of lipid-lowering drugs." JAMA, 275, p. 55-60

59. Bjerre LM, LeLorier J (2001) "Do statins cause cancer? A meta-analysis of large randomized clinical trials." Am J Med, 110, p. 716-23

Frequently asked questions

Further information

Zocor side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Some side effects may not be reported. You may report them to the FDA.

Medical Disclaimer