SIMVASTATIN KERN PHARMA 40 mg FILM-COATED TABLETS

Introduction

PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER

Simvastatin Kern Pharma 40 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet, you may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.

Contents of the pack:

1. What Simvastatin Kern Pharma is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Simvastatin Kern Pharma
3. How to take Simvastatin Kern Pharma
4. Possible side effects
5. Storage of Simvastatin Kern Pharma
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Simvastatin Kern Pharma is and what it is used for

Simvastatin Kern Pharma belongs to a group of medicines called statins, which are used to lower the level of fats (such as cholesterol and triglycerides) in the blood when a low-fat diet and lifestyle changes on their own have not worked.

Simvastatin Kern Pharma is used in:

• Treating high levels of cholesterol in the blood (primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia) in addition to diet, when diet or exercise alone have not lowered cholesterol.

• Treating high levels of cholesterol in the blood (homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia) in addition to diet and other treatments to lower cholesterol.

Preventing heart and blood vessel problems and cardiovascular death in patients with a history of vascular disease (atherosclerosis) or diabetes, with high or normal cholesterol levels, in addition to other treatments.

2. What you need to know before you take Simvastatin Kern Pharma

Do not take Simvastatin Kern Pharma

• If you are allergic to simvastatin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
• If you have active liver disease or have elevated liver enzymes.
• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• If you are taking one of the following medicines:

• itraconazole or ketoconazole (medicines used to treat fungal infections)
• erythromycin, clarithromycin or telithromycin (antibiotics)
• HIV protease inhibitors such as indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir and saquinavir (medicines used to treat HIV infections that cause AIDS)
• nefazodone (a medicine used to treat depression).

Warnings and precautions

• If you experience muscle pain, tenderness or weakness.Tell your doctor immediately. In rare cases, simvastatin can cause serious muscle problems that can lead to kidney damage.

This risk is higher in patients who take high doses of Simvastatin Kern Pharma or who take Simvastatin Kern Pharma with certain medicines that increase the levels of simvastatin in the blood, and therefore the risk of muscle problems, such as:

• fibrates and niacin (medicines that lower cholesterol levels)
• amiodarone, verapamil and diltiazem (medicines used to treat heart problems)
• cyclosporin (a medicine used to prevent transplant rejection).

• Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, hypothyroidism (low levels of thyroid hormones), if you have a family history of muscle problems or if you have previously had muscle problems, or if you normally drink alcohol, as these factors can increase the risk of muscle problems.

• If you have had liver disease, it is possible that you may experience moderate increases in liver enzymes, which in most cases will return to normal without the need to stop treatment.

• If you are scheduled for surgery, it is recommended that you stop taking Simvastatin Kern Pharma at least a few days before surgery.

Consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking Simvastatin Kern Pharma if you:

• Have or have had myasthenia (a disease that causes generalised muscle weakness that can affect the muscles used for breathing) or ocular myasthenia (a disease that causes weakness of the eye muscles), as statins can sometimes worsen the disease or cause myasthenia (see section 4).
• Have severe respiratory failure
• Have constant muscle weakness. You may need additional tests and medication to diagnose and treat this problem.
• Are taking or have taken in the last 7 days a medicine that contains fusidic acid (used to treat bacterial infections) orally or by injection. The combination of fusidic acid and Simvastatin Kern Pharma can cause serious muscle problems (rhabdomyolysis).

While you are taking this medicine, your doctor will check if you have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. This risk of diabetes is higher if you have high levels of sugar and fat in the blood, are overweight and have high blood pressure.

Your doctor may want to perform blood tests or liver function tests to check that your liver is working properly before and during your treatment with Simvastatin Kern Pharma.

Consult your doctor, even if any of the above circumstances have occurred to you in the past.

Interaction of Simvastatin Kern Pharma with other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are using, or have recently used or may need to use any other medicines.

Certain medicines can interact with Simvastatin Kern Pharma and may increase the risk of muscle side effects; in these cases, it may be necessary to change the dose or stop treatment with one of them.

It is very important that you inform your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken any of the following medicines:

• fibrates and niacin (medicines that lower cholesterol levels)
• itraconazole, ketoconazole, erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, HIV protease inhibitors and nefazodone. The use of simvastatin is contraindicated with these medicines (see section 2. "Do not take Simvastatin Kern Pharma")
• cyclosporin (a medicine used to prevent transplant rejection)
• verapamil, diltiazem and amiodarone (medicines used to treat heart problems).

It is also very important that you inform your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken:

• oral anticoagulants (medicines to prevent blood clots), as the anticoagulant effect is enhanced if taken with Simvastatin Kern Pharma.

If you need to take fusidic acid orally to treat a bacterial infection, you will need to stop using this medicine. Your doctor will tell you when you can restart treatment with Simvastatin Kern Pharma. The use of Simvastatin Kern Pharma with fusidic acid can cause serious muscle problems (rhabdomyolysis).

Interaction of Simvastatin Kern Pharma with food, drink and alcohol

Simvastatin Kern Pharma can be taken with or without food.

You should avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking Simvastatin Kern Pharma, as it can increase the levels of simvastatin in the blood.

Simvastatin Kern Pharma should be used with caution in patients who consume alcohol. If you regularly drink alcohol, consult your doctor.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine.

Simvastatin Kern Pharma is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

In case of pregnancy or suspected pregnancy, you should stop treatment and inform your doctor as soon as possible.

Driving and using machines

At normal doses, Simvastatin Kern Pharma does not affect the ability to drive or use machines. However, if you notice symptoms of dizziness, do not drive or use machines until you know how the medicine affects you.

Simvastatin Kern Pharma contains lactose

If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to some sugars, consult with them before taking any medicine.

3. How to take Simvastatin Kern Pharma

Follow exactly the instructions of administration of this medicine indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. If you are in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Remember to take your medicine.

Your doctor will tell you the duration of your treatment with Simvastatin Kern Pharma. Do not stop treatment before.

The tablets should be taken in the evening and can be taken with water or with or without food.

Adults:

The usual starting dose is 10 to 40 mg per day, administered in a single dose in the evening.

Your doctor may adjust your dose up to a maximum of 80 mg per day, administered in a single dose in the evening.

Your doctor may prescribe lower doses, especially if you are taking certain medicines mentioned above or have certain kidney problems.

Patient over 65 years:

No dose adjustment is necessary.

If you think that the action of Simvastatin Kern Pharma is too strong or too weak, tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Use in children and adolescents

The efficacy and safety of use in children have not been established. Therefore, the use of Simvastatin Kern Pharma is not recommended in children.

If you take more Simvastatin Kern Pharma than you should

In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service, telephone: 91 562 04 20, indicating the medicine and the amount taken.

If you forget to take Simvastatin Kern Pharma

Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten doses, wait for the next dose.

Take the next dose at the usual time.

If you have any other questions about the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, Simvastatin Kern Pharma can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Side effects have been classified according to the following frequency definitions: Very common (more than 1 in 10), common (less than 1 in 10 but more than 1 in 100), uncommon (less than 1 in 100 but more than 1 in 1000), rare (less than 1 in 1000), very rare (less than 1 in 10,000) and isolated cases.

Blood and lymphatic system disorders:

Rare: anaemia.

Gastrointestinal disorders:

Rare: constipation, abdominal pain, gas, indigestion, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, pancreatitis.

General disorders:

Rare: weakness.

Hepatobiliary disorders:

Rare: hepatitis, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).

Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders:

Rare: myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, muscle pain, muscle cramps.

Frequency not known: Constant muscle weakness.

Nervous system disorders:

Rare: headache, tingling sensation, dizziness, peripheral neuropathy.

Frequency not known: Severe myasthenia* (a disease that causes generalised muscle weakness that can affect the muscles used for breathing).

Eye disorders:

Frequency not known: Ocular myasthenia* (a disease that causes weakness of the eye muscles).

• Tell your doctor if you experience weakness in the arms or legs that worsens after periods of activity, double vision or drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing or difficulty breathing.

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders:

Rare: skin rash, itching, hair loss.

In rare cases, an apparent allergic syndrome has been reported, which has included some of the following characteristics: angioedema, lupus-like syndrome, polymyalgia rheumatica, vasculitis, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, arthritis and joint pain, itching, photosensitivity, fever, flushing, difficulty breathing and general malaise.

Immune system disorders:

Rare: hypersensitivity reactions (allergic reactions) including: swelling of the face, tongue and throat, which can cause difficulty breathing (angioedema).

The following serious side effects have been reported very rarely:

• a severe allergic reaction that causes difficulty breathing or dizziness (anaphylactic reaction).

Other possible side effects:

• Sleep disorders, including insomnia and nightmares
• Memory loss
• Sexual dysfunction
• Depression
• Respiratory problems including persistent cough and/or difficulty breathing or fever.
• Diabetes. This is more likely if you have high levels of sugar and fat in the blood, are overweight and have high blood pressure. Your doctor will monitor you while you are taking this medicine.
• Blurred vision and visual impairment (can affect up to 1 in 1,000 people).
• A skin rash that can occur on the skin or ulcers in the mouth (drug-induced lichenoid eruptions) (can affect up to 1 in 10,000 people).
• Muscle pain, tenderness or weakness; muscle failure; muscle rupture (can affect up to 1 in 10,000 people); tendon problems, sometimes complicated by tendon rupture.
• Gynaecomastia (breast enlargement in men) (can affect up to 1 in 10,000 people).

If any of these serious side effects occur, stop taking the medicine and inform your doctor immediately or go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital.

Investigations:

Rare: increased blood levels of liver enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase (CK).

If you experience any side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are not listed in this leaflet.

Reporting of side effects

If you experience any side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are not listed in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Medicines Monitoring System: www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. Storage of Simvastatin Kern Pharma

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not store above 30°C.

Do not use Simvastatin Kern Pharma after the expiry date stated on the packaging after "EXP". The expiry date is the last day of the month indicated.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Return the containers and any unused medicines to the pharmacy. If you are in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the containers and any unused medicines. This will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

Composition of Simvastatin Kern Pharma 40 mg tablets:

• The active substance is simvastatin. Each tablet contains 40 mg of simvastatin.
• The other ingredients (excipients) are: lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, pregelatinised maize starch, butylhydroxyanisole (E-320), ascorbic acid, citric acid, anhydrous colloidal silica, talc, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, red iron oxide (E-172), yellow iron oxide (E-172), triethyl citrate, titanium dioxide (E-171) and povidone.

Appearance of the product and packaging contents

Simvastatin Kern Pharma 40 mg is presented in the form of film-coated tablets, intense pink in colour, oval and biconvex. Each pack contains 28 tablets.

Marketing authorisation holder and manufacturer

Kern Pharma, S.L.

Venus, 72 – Pol. Ind. Colón II

08228 Terrassa (Barcelona)

Spain

Date of last revision of this leaflet: May 2023.

Detailed and updated information on this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Healthcare Products (AEMPS) www.aemps.gob.es