Simvastatin Alternatives Compared

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Simvastatin	Repatha (evolocumab)	Atorvastatin	Enter another drug to compare

Simvastatin

Repatha (evolocumab)

Atorvastatin

Prescription only

Simvastatin is effective at lowering cholesterol; however, it may cause muscle pain, particularly at higher dosages. Should not be used by people with active liver disease or in women planning a... View more

Prescription only

Repatha is a PCSK9 inhibitor that may be used to reduce LDL-C levels in people with primary hyperlipidemia and HoFH, and also to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in adults with established... View more

Prescription only

Atorvastatin is effective at lowering cholesterol; however, its use may be limited by side effects such as muscle pain. Prescribed for High Cholesterol, High Cholesterol - Familial Homozygous, High... View more

More about Simvastatin

More about Repatha (evolocumab)

More about Atorvastatin

Ratings & Reviews

Simvastatin has an average rating of 4.8 out of 10 from a total of 131 ratings on Drugs.com. 30% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 48% reported a negative effect.

Repatha has an average rating of 5.3 out of 10 from a total of 687 ratings on Drugs.com. 39% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 46% reported a negative effect.

Atorvastatin has an average rating of 4.3 out of 10 from a total of 299 ratings on Drugs.com. 28% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 54% reported a negative effect.

View all 131 reviews

View all 687 reviews

View all 299 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

Insomnia (11.5%)
Pain (11.5%)
Weakness (9.2%)
Cramps (8.4%)
Muscle pain (8.4%)
Tiredness (7.6%)
Headaches (6.9%)

View all Simvastatin side effects

Pain (16.9%)
Back pain (14.7%)
Fatigue (12.8%)
Muscle pain (11.8%)
Weakness (9.5%)
Joint pain (6.3%)
Runny nose (6.1%)

View all Repatha side effects

Muscle pain (19.1%)
Pain (18.4%)
Weakness (11.0%)
Dizziness (10.4%)
Cramps (8.7%)
Headaches (8.7%)
Memory loss (7.4%)

View all Atorvastatin side effects

Drug Class

Statins

PCSK9 inhibitors

Statins

Generic Availability

Lower cost generic

N/A

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	100 each
Strength	40 mg
Per unit^*	$0.25 - $1.53
Cost^*	$24.57 - $152.61

View all Simvastatin prices

Quantity	2 mL
Strength	140 mg/mL
Per unit^*	$310.69
Cost^*	$621.37

View all Repatha prices

Quantity	50 each
Strength	20 mg
Per unit^*	$0.40 - $0.57
Cost^*	$19.91 - $28.28

View all Atorvastatin prices

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Dosage Forms

Oral tablet

Subcutaneous solution

Oral tablet

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

N/A

408 hours

14 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category X Not for use in pregnancy

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Summary unavailable.

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category X Not for use in pregnancy

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 333 drugs are known to interact with Simvastatin:

59 major drug interactions (232 brand and generic names)
262 moderate drug interactions (680 brand and generic names)
12 minor drug interactions (59 brand and generic names)

A total of 2 drugs are known to interact with Repatha:

2 moderate drug interactions (4 brand and generic names)

A total of 402 drugs are known to interact with Atorvastatin:

46 major drug interactions (147 brand and generic names)
321 moderate drug interactions (889 brand and generic names)
35 minor drug interactions (255 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Grapefruit juice can significantly increase the blood levels of simvastatin. This can increase the... View more
Simvastatin may cause liver problems and using it with substantial quantities of alcohol may... View more

No known alcohol/food interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Grapefruit juice can increase the blood levels of atorvastatin. This can increase the risk of side... View more
Atorvastatin may cause liver problems and using it with substantial quantities of alcohol may... View more

Disease Interactions

No known disease interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

First Approval Date

December 23, 1991

August 27, 2015

December 17, 1996

WADA Class View classifications

N/A

More Information

Patient Resources

Simvastatin uses

Repatha uses

Atorvastatin uses

Professional Resources

Prescribing information

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Simvastatin Alternatives Compared

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