Brits taking a common medication are reminded to “call 111” for any serious skin symptoms. According to the NHS, this could mean your liver is damaged.
Simvastatin is a prescription medicine used to treat high cholesterol and help prevent heart attacks and strokes. It belongs to a group of drugs called statins, which are taken by around seven million people in the UK.
You may also be prescribed simvastatin if you have diabetes, kidney disease, or familial hypercholesterolaemia (a condition that can cause high cholesterol).
On the NHS website, it says: “Like all medicines, simvastatin can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.”
Common but less serious side effects of simvastatin include:
- A headache
- Dizziness
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Digestive problems, such as constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion or farting
- Muscle aches
- Sleep problems
The NHS says: “Simvastatin will not usually affect your ability to drive, ride a bike or use machinery, but if you feel dizzy after taking it, wait until the dizziness stops.”
You should speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.
It adds: “They may be able to give you advice about how you can reduce the side effects.”
Serious side effects
The NHS warns that simvastatin can “sometimes” cause serious side effects, although “most of them are rare”. One such side effect is inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).
This can cause yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes. But yellowed skin may be less noticeable if you have brown or black skin, the NHS says.
The health body urged people to call 111 if “you’re taking simvastatin and think you might be having serious side effects”. Other possible serious side effects of simvastatin include:
- Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which can cause severe stomach pain
- Inflammation and damage to the muscles (muscle toxicity), which can cause symptoms such as muscle cramps, pain and weakness
- An allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which can cause symptoms such as a swollen throat or tongue, a raised, itchy rash or difficulty breathing
For more information, visit the NHS website here.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
