Simvastatin and Clarithromycin Interaction
Drug interaction information between Simvastatin and Clarithromycin.
Simvastatin and Clarithromycin have a documented minor interaction in FDA labeling.
FDA drug labeling documents a minor-severity interaction between Simvastatin and Clarithromycin. This page displays the available source-record category and label text. The category is not an individual risk estimate or medication-combination direction.
How They Interact
Clarithromycin stops the body from breaking down simvastatin. This causes the level of simvastatin in your blood to rise, which can increase the risk of side effects.
FDA Label Information
Examples: Select azole anti-fungals (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole), select macrolide antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin and clarithromycin, telithromycin), select HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., nelfinavir, ritonavir, and darunavir/ritonavir), select HCV protease inhibitors (e.g., boceprevir and telaprevir), cobicistat-containing products, and nefazodone.
Simvastatin Also Interacts With
- Diltiazem major
- Verapamil major
- Cyclosporine major
- Amiodarone major
- Dronedarone major
Clarithromycin Also Interacts With
- Quetiapine major
- Pioglitazone major
- Fluconazole major
- Cyclosporine major
- Lurasidone major
Frequently Asked Questions
What SPL severity band is on file for Simvastatin + Clarithromycin?
Compiled FDA labeling labels this pair minor. That is a source-record field, not an individual medication-combination decision.
Which drug in this pair has the larger labeled-interaction portfolio?
Clarithromycin has 81 labeled pairs on file vs Simvastatin's 41. In the minor band specifically: Simvastatin has 21 (also Fenofibrate, Ketoconazole, Erythromycin, Darunavir); Clarithromycin has 30 (also Amlodipine, Lorazepam, Diltiazem, Erythromycin).
What mechanism field is on file for Simvastatin and Clarithromycin?
Clarithromycin stops the body from breaking down simvastatin. This causes the level of simvastatin in your blood to rise, which can increase the risk of side effects.
Clarithromycin carries more major-labeled pairs than Simvastatin
SPL source-record counts only. This page's band is minor · classes on file: Simvastatin (HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin)); Clarithromycin (Macrolide Antibiotic).
Clarithromycin has 16 major-labeled pairs vs Simvastatin's 11. This page itself is in the minor band, not the major band.
11 major · 9 moderate · 21 minor · 41 total
- Other minor peers for Simvastatin
- Fenofibrate
- Ketoconazole
- Erythromycin
- Darunavir
16 major · 35 moderate · 30 minor · 81 total
- Other minor peers for Clarithromycin
- Amlodipine
- Lorazepam
- Diltiazem
- Erythromycin
Sources: FDA Drug Labels (SPL) via openFDA (2026). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This registry does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.