Simcor and Liver Problems

High Liver Enzymes

Because people may not have symptoms until significant liver damage has occurred, your healthcare provider should check for liver problems by testing your liver enzymes. Liver enzymes are usually measured to see if a person has liver damage. They do not measure how well the liver is working. A number of things can increase liver enzymes, including certain medicines (such as antibiotics or certain anti-inflammatory medicines), alcohol, infections (such as mononucleosis or viral hepatitis), obesity, and diabetes.

 

Simvastatin, along with other statins, is also known to increase liver enzyme levels. This increase in liver enzymes, except in very rare cases, does not cause any symptoms. However, your healthcare provider will measure your liver enzyme levels prior to you starting Simcor and for several months thereafter. He or she will also measure your liver enzyme levels if your Simcor dosage is increased.

 

If your liver enzymes are high, your healthcare provider may continue to test them on a more frequent basis. If they remain high, your doctor may recommend lowering the dose of Simcor or switching to another cholesterol medication. When Simcor is stopped, the liver enzymes (in most cases) return to the pre-Simcor levels.

 

Simcor and Liver Problems: Warnings and Precautions

Because Simcor can affect the liver, it is used with caution in people who drink more than a moderate amount of alcohol or who have a history of liver disease. Simcor is not recommended for people with liver disease or those who already have high liver enzymes before the medication is started.

 

Final Thoughts

Liver problems with Simcor occur rarely, but to keep you as safe as possible, your healthcare provider will routinely check on how your liver is doing by testing your liver enzyme levels. If they are high, your healthcare provider may recommend lowering your Simcor dosage or switching medicines.

 

If you have any questions or concerns after reading this article, make sure to talk with your healthcare provider. He or she understands your situation best and is in the best position to give you recommendations.