Evaluation of the Effects of Simvastatin 40mg

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female patient, \>18 years of age * Patients with hypercholesterolemia who meet the following lipid criteria: 1. primary cholesterolemia: total cholesterol\>=240 mg/dl or ldl-c \>= 160 mg/dl 2. secondary cholesterolemia (patients with cad, dm): ldl-c\>=130 mg/dl * The patient is willing to follow an NCEP therapeutic lifestyle changes (tlc) or similar cholesterol-lowering diet throughout the duration of the study Exclusion Criteria: * Congestive heart failure (NYHA class III or IV), uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia, unstable angina * Hypertension (based on the atp 3 guidelines) * Taking potent lipid-lowering agents * Unstable diabetes (hba1c \>9%) or newly diagnosed (within 3 months), or a change in anti-diabetes medications within 3 months of screening