Statins play a vital role in cholesterol-lowering of the body. The introduction of statins has revolutionized the management of cardiovascular diseases, as most cardiovascular diseases are caused due to cholesterol plaque deposits.
Two common members of the family of Statins are Zocor and Crestor.
Key Takeaways
- Zocor is a medication that contains Simvastatin and is used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Crestor is a medication that contains Rosuvastatin and is used to treat high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.
- Zocor can cause muscle pain and weakness as a side effect, while Crestor can cause headaches and stomach pain.
Zocor vs Crestor
Zocor is a medication that is prescribed to lower high cholesterol levels in the blood. It can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Crestor, is a medication commonly prescribed to lower high cholesterol levels in the blood. It is used in conjunction with lifestyle changes.
Zocor is a prodrug. A prodrug is a type of drug which needs to be broken down by the body in the gut so that the drug can function and perform its job.
Since it is simvastatin, it has various bad interactions with other kinds of drugs. Hence it is essential to consult a professional or doctor with the entire chart of medications.
On the other hand, Crestor is a soft drug. A soft drug is ready to perform its job once it is out of the package. The rosuvastatin type of drug has relatively fewer interactions with different kinds of drugs.
It plays a vital role in reducing LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and increasing HDL cholesterol.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Zocor | Crestor |
|---|---|---|
| Type of statin | Simvastatin | Rosuvastatin |
| Function | It lowers bad cholesterol in the bloodstream and raises the good cholesterol level | A potent cholesterol-lowering drug |
| Type of drug | Prodrug | Softdrug |
| Interaction with other drugs | More | Relatively few |
| Side effects | Headache, nausea, heartburn, bloating, ingestion, gas, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhoea, rashes and pain in the joints and muscles | Depression, constipation, nausea, diarrhoea, ingestion, stomach pain, insomnia, headache, or pain in the muscles and joints |
What is Zocor?
Zocor is a simavastatin or a statin drug. It is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. So core can lower lipid and cholesterol levels.
It is prescribed to treat heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, which is shortened as HeFH. It mainly occurs in adolescents. Females post menarche is prone to HeFH. It is available in generic form.
Zocor also has several side effects, like headache, nausea, heartburn, bloating, ingestion, gas, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhoea, rashes, and pain in the joint and muscles.
It can even cause memory problems or confusion and bring insomnia. Zocor can also cause a spike in blood sugar, especially in patients who are diabetic.
The usual dose of Zocor is between 6-40 mg per day. However, the particular dosage is prescribed by the professional depending upon the condition of the patient.
Various drugs can interact with Zocor, like Amiodarone, Danazol, Colchicine, Ranolazine, and several others. Hence it is essential to discuss the complete medication chart with the professional.
Simvastatin reacts and interacts with more medications. Zocor is lipophilic; hence it dissolves or combines with fats easily.
It can therefore enter nerve or muscle cells and cause other problems. Zocor plays a vital role in raising the body’s good cholesterol, which is high-density lipoprotein or HDL.
What is Crestor?
Crestor is rosuvastatin calcium or a statin drug. It slows down the production of cholesterol in the body.
Crestor is prescribed to lower cholesterol and fat levels, which could be in the form of triglycerides in the blood. This further reduces the chance of developing heart diseases or strokes. Crestor is available in generic form.
Crestor can have common side effects like depression, constipation, nausea, diarrhoea, ingestion, stomach pain, insomnia, headache, or muscle and joint pain.
It can even cause serious side effects like rhabdomyolysis and renal failure and even can damage the liver.
Crestor is recommended to be used in conjunction with a diet low in fats and cholesterol, and the patients are advised to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes daily.
The usual dose of Crestor is between 5 to 25 mg per day. But the exact dose always depends on the condition of the patient.
Crestor can interact with other medications like blood thinners, niacin, cimetidine, birth control pills, and several other medications.
Rosuvastatin reacts and interacts with relatively fewer medications. Crestor also lowers LDL, which is low-density lipoprotein and hinders liver cells’ ability to make cholesterol.
Some antacids hinder the ability of the body to absorb Crestor and hence are recommended to keep at bay during Crestor dosage.
Main Differences Between Zocor and Crestor
- Zocor is simvastatin, while Crestor is rosuvastatin.
- Zocor is an old and less potent drug, whereas Crestor is a newer drug and more potent comparatively.
- Zocor has more negative interactions with other medications, while Crestor has fewer negative interactions with other medications.
- Zocor is a prodrug which means that the body has to break the drug in the gut so that it can function, while Crestor is ready to function once out of the package.
- Zocor is lipophilic in nature, while Crestor is hydrophilic in nature.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/nrd2156
- https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/case.kellogg.2016.000084/full/
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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