RIYADH-The drug Zocor 40mg has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2003 for use with heart disease and diabetes patients. ZOCOR 40mg is the first and only cholesterol-lowering medication proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with heart disease or diabetes regardless of cholesterol levels. The drug has been approved after one of the most comprehensive studies into heart disease and diabetes ever undertaken.

"The five-year Heart Protection Study conducted by Oxford University in the UK,  followed more than 20,500 people considered to be at high risk for a heart attack, "said Dr. Mohammed Arafah, Consultant & Head of Cardiology at King Saud University. The study results showed that ZOCOR 40mg reduced the risk of non-fatal heart attack by 38 percent."  Additionally, the risk of suffering a heart attack was reduced in diabetic patients by 27 percent.

Dr. Arafah added that the medication had shown a risk reduction in all high-risk groups, such as those with a history of heart attacks, diabetes, or vascular disease, and even showed consistent results in patients whose cholesterol levels were high-enough to require drug treatment under current guidelines.

ZOCOR has long been used – with more than 140 million prescriptions written – to improve cholesterol levels when diet alone is not enough. The FDA approval ensures that more heart disease and even diabetic patients can benefit from ZOCOR 40mg. ZOCOR is a prescription medication and is to be used only after consulting the physician. 

 “This drug has been available for over 10 years in Saudi Arabia, but FDA approval means that ZOCOR 40mg is now available for a wider range of uses,” added Dr. Aus AlZaid, Consultant Diabetologist at Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital. “The result is that more Saudi patients with heart disease and diabetes can now benefit and enjoy enhanced lives through its use.”