Simvastatin Dosage

Simvastatin is a popular drug used to slow down or reverse coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and angina. Grouped in the class of statins, Simvastatin works by blocking the enzyme that triggers the liver cells to produce cholesterol. It is specifically effective at reducing the bad or LDL cholesterol that is responsible for artery clogging and contracting.

Your doctor will prescribe a simvastatin dosage that will depend upon the disease or condition being treated.

Adult doses of Simvastatin for different health conditions

Lowering of Cardiovascular risk - An adult who wants to lower the risk of suffering a cardiovascular health risk requires the following dose.

• First dose should include 10 to 20mg tablets taken orally one time a day in the evening.
• Protection dosage should be 5 to 40mg tablets taken orally one time a day in the evening.
• 40 mg one time a day for patients who have a big risk for coronary heart disease. This can be triggered by an existing ailment like diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, stroke and other related conditions.

Hyperlipedemia – This is a condition associated with increased quantity of lipids (fat-soluble molecules) or lipoprotein in the blood. This obviously puts the heart at risk.  People who have this condition use the following dose of Simvastatin.

• First dose is 10 to 20mg tablets taken orally one time a day in the evening
• Protection dose should be 5 to 40mg taken orally one time per day in the evening
• Patients who have a high risk for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) should take up to 40 mg orally one time per day.

Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) – This is a life-threatening condition that is genetically-motivated. It can be described as a condition where a person’s level of low density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol is three to six times higher than what the doctors consider a normal range. This puts sufferers at a higher risk of developing CHD and other heart ailments triggered by deposits of LDL cholesterol in the arteries.  Dosage necessary for adult sufferers include the following

• 40mg taken orally one time a day in the evening. Since a HoFH victim has a very high level of bad cholesterol Simvastatin should not be the only drug used to cure it. It should supplement other drugs taken according to the doctor’s recommendation.

Note: HoFH being a genetically triggered problem is not a problem of the adults alone. Some children suffer from it as well. The following are the recommended dosages for kids of different ages.

Children who are ten to seventeen years

• First dose is 10mg taken orally one time a day in the evening.
• Protection dose – 10 to 40mg per day and 40 mg is the maximum that these children are allowed to take daily. Any dose increments should be recommended by doctors.