Question: I take 20 mg of Simvastatin daily for high cholesterol and have been doing so for 2 years. Suddenly a test showed my liver enzymes are elevated. My doctor says he does not know if Simvastatin is the cause of this. What do you think?


Dr. Hibberd's answer:

Yes, sometimes liver enzymes are elevated by this drug, and if left unchecked can lead to liver damage. If the increase is severe, you may need to stop taking Simvastatin, which usually reverses the problem. Your doctor might suggest a different statin. Even then, you must have your liver function tested about six weeks after starting out with a statin, and then again every three to six months for the first year and then every six months.