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Simvastatin and amlodipine — GPhC CRA MCQ

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HardCardiovascular TherapeuticsSimvastatin and amlodipineGPhC CRA

A patient taking simvastatin 40 mg nightly starts amlodipine 10 mg daily. Which lipid-lowering change should be discussed with the prescriber?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: E — Reduce simvastatin to 20 mg daily or choose an alternative statin

Amlodipine increases simvastatin exposure and myopathy risk. The maximum recommended simvastatin dose with amlodipine is 20 mg daily, so the prescriber should reduce the dose or choose a suitable alternative statin according to lipid goals and prior tolerance.

Reference: BNF: simvastatin: https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/simvastatin/