Most doctors will tell you that any kind of drug can cause allergic reactions or side effects on some people, but if you take a special medicine like Simvastatin, which prevents and treats cardiovascular diseases, and combine it with alcohol, then you can say that the stage is set for serious interactions. Simvastatin is absorbed and processed in the liver, which also produces cholesterol, the main compound that Simvastatin controls in monitoring cardiovascular disease. And alcohol is also absorbed by the liver. This is why the risk for consuming alcohol is one that should be considered for those who are prescribed Simvastatin.

Aside from both alcohol and Simvastatin going through the liver, they can also work directly against each other. A low triglyceride amount in the body can prevent atherosclerosis. Simvastatin lowers triglyceride levels in the body, but drinking alcohol can raise them. This means that alcohol can prevent Simvastatin from working its effects on the human body. And in some cases, it can also increase Simvastatin’s cholesterol control to a dangerous level.

Drug-induced cholestatic hepatitis can occur from an interaction between alcohol and Simvastatin. This disorder may be one of the rarer Simvastatin side effects, but it can definitely be a real problem to deal with. Cholestatic hepatitis happens when the liver grows far past its normal size, and this can be due to a blocking of normal bile flow from the liver to the gallbladder. In Simvastatin-induced cases, it can be the result of the liver reacting negatively to the drug, and the risk for contracting cholestatic hepatitis increases with alcohol consumption.

Any sort of liver dysfunction can show itself in its early stages as jaundice, where the eyes and the skin of the individual turn a particular yellowish shade. When jaundice occurs after taking Simvastatin, or when you drank alcohol when on Simvastatin therapy, visit your doctor immediately. You may be required to take a smaller Simvastatin dose or in severe cases, stop taking the drug altogether.

For those who can’t quite give up their alcoholic drinks when taking Simvastatin or other special drugs like Lisinopril and Coumadin, it is important that you inform your doctor. Usually alcohol does not cause interactions if consumption of it is kept regular and minimal; for example, a high Lisinopril dosage can be kept up indefinitely if alcohol consumption is strictly kept constant and monitored, and the same can also be said for Simvastatin. Think of alcoholic beverages as a pleasure you can enjoy once in a while in small amounts, and keep your medication as something more important that will keep you healthy and safe.