Simvastatin Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide
Key takeaways:
Simvastatin (Zocor, FloLipid) is a prescription statin medication. It’s approved for use in adults and children ages 10 years and older. You can take it by mouth as a tablet or an oral suspension.
Your simvastatin dosage will usually depend on why you’re taking it, your treatment goals, and other medications that you take. Simvastatin dosages typically range from 5 mg to 40 mg once daily in the evening.
There are many ways to save on simvastatin, which is available as a lower-cost generic. With GoodRx, you could save over 40% off the average retail price of generic simvastatin at certain pharmacies.
Access savings on related medications
Table of contents
Simvastatin (Zocor, FloLipid) is a prescription statin medication. It’s often used to treat high cholesterol, including from inherited (passed down) causes. And it can also lower the risk of heart attack or stroke in certain people.
If you’re prescribed simvastatin, you’ll typically take it once daily in the evening. It comes in two different forms — an oral tablet (Zocor) and an oral suspension (FloLipid).
In this guide, we’ll discuss typical simvastatin dosages and any recommended adjustments for drug interactions and other health conditions. And if you’re wondering about what to do if you miss your dose — we’ll cover those details, too. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have any other questions about your simvastatin dosage.
Simvastatin dosage forms
Simvastatin is available as a tablet and an oral suspension. If you have difficulty swallowing tablets, the suspension can be a good alternative.
You can take the tablets with or without food. But the oral suspension should be taken on an empty stomach. Shake the suspension bottle for at least 20 seconds before measuring out your dose. And throw the bottle away 30 days after opening it — even if there’s medication left inside.
Pharmacist tip: For the oral suspension, make sure you use an accurate measuring device for your dose. An oral syringe or calibrated medicine spoon are a few options. Avoid using household spoons — these are less accurate.
What’s the typical simvastatin dosage for adults?
For adults, simvastatin is approved to treat high cholesterol and high triglycerides (type of fat in the blood) from several causes. This includes homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), an inherited (passed down) condition. Simvastatin can also help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke in certain adults.
Simvastatin is usually taken once daily. And it has been shown to work best when you take it in the evening. The typical simvastatin dosage for adults depends on why you’re taking it, your treatment goals, and other factors. For example, higher doses can lead to greater LDL (“bad”) cholesterol reduction.
High cholesterol
For high cholesterol, the typical starting simvastatin dosage is 10 mg to 20 mg once daily. If you have kidney problems, you may be prescribed a lower dose. And if you have certain risk factors, you may start with 40 mg once daily.
The maximum simvastatin dosage is 80 mg daily. But this dose isn’t recommended for most people due to an increased risk of side effects.
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia
For adults with HoFH, the typical simvastatin dosage is 40 mg by mouth once daily in the evening.
What’s the typical simvastatin dosage for children?
Simvastatin is approved for use in adolescents ages 10 to 17 years with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), another type of inherited condition. Just like in adults, simvastatin is usually taken by mouth once daily in the evening.
For adolescents with HeFH, the typical simvastatin starting dose is 10 mg by mouth once daily in the evening. If needed, this dose may be increased up to 40 mg daily.
Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions or interactions?
Severe kidney problems and other medications can affect how well your body gets rid of simvastatin. This can increase your risk of serious side effects, such as muscle damage. In some of these cases, your healthcare provider may need to adjust your simvastatin dosage.
Dosage for people with kidney problems
Your body removes simvastatin partly through your kidneys. For people with mild to moderate kidney problems, your dosage may not need to be adjusted. But if you have severe kidney problems, it’s recommended to start with the 5 mg daily dose.
Dosage adjustments for drug interactions
Your body breaks down simvastatin in your liver. But other medications may affect how well this process works. If you take one or more of these medications with simvastatin, your healthcare provider may need to lower how much simvastatin you take.
The maximum simvastatin dosage is 10 mg once daily if you take the following medications:
Diltiazem (Cardizem)
Dronedarone (Multaq)
The maximum simvastatin dose is 20 mg once daily if you take the following medications:
Amiodarone (Pacerone, Nexterone)
Amlodipine (Norvasc, Norliqva, Katerzia)
Ranolazine (Aspruzyo Sprinkle)
Lomitapide (Juxtapid), if you take simvastatin for HoFH
This is not a full list of potential interactions. For example, there are also medications that you should not take with simvastatin. Make sure you update your healthcare provider and pharmacist with a current list of your medications.
What happens if you miss a dose of simvastatin?
If you miss your simvastatin dose, it’s not usually a huge deal. But you’ll want to avoid doubling up on doses to make up for your missed dose. Discuss what to do if you miss a dose with your provider or pharmacist.
What should you do if you take too much simvastatin?
Simvastatin and other statins can cause side effects with usual doses, including muscle pain, headache, and stomach-related effects. So if you take too much simvastatin, it can increase your risk for muscle damage and liver problems.
If you think you’ve taken too much simvastatin, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance.
How to save on simvastatin
There are many ways to save on simvastatin tablets, which are available as lower-cost generics. At certain pharmacies, the price of generic simvastatin is as low as $12.60 with a GoodRx discount.
The simvastatin oral suspension is only available as a brand-name product called FloLipid. With GoodRx, you could pay as little as $ for FloLipid at certain pharmacies.
The bottom line
Simvastatin’s usual dosage range for adults is 5 mg to 40 mg by mouth once daily in the evening. But the dosage recommendations can change if you have severe kidney problems or take certain other medications. Adolescents typically take no more than 40 mg of simvastatin once daily. If you have questions about your simvastatin dosage, speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Why trust our experts?
References
Bryant Ranch Prepack. (2021). SIMVASTATIN- simvastatin tablet, film coated [package insert].
Salerno Pharmaceuticals Co. (2022). FLOLIPID- simvastatin suspension [package insert].
Vaezi, Z., et al. (2022). Familial hypercholesterolemia. StatPearls.
Was this page helpful?
Related Articles
Browse medications
View AllResearch prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.