Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Entry point for hepatitis C infection identified

A molecule embedded in the membrane of human liver cells that aids in cholesterol absorption also allows the entry of hepatitis C virus, the first step in hepatitis C infection, according to research at the University of ...

Medications

Elevated cholesterol levels: Benefit of ezetimibe is not proven

Elevated blood cholesterol levels are regarded as a risk factor for heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. However, this does not necessarily mean that every cholesterol-lowering drug can also prevent heart attacks. ...

Medications

Ezetimibe reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes

Patients with a history of coronary heart disease (CHD) or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) benefit more from treatment with a statin in combination with ezetimibe than from treatment with a statin alone. However, there is no ...

Diabetes

Extended-Release niacin raises fasting glucose levels

(HealthDay) -- The combination of extended-release niacin (N) with ezetimibe plus simvastatin (E/S) to treat hyperlipidemia is associated with increased fasting glucose (FG) levels compared with E/S alone, but these cases ...

Cardiology

Atorvastatin/Ezetimibe beats atorvastatin after PCI

(HealthDay)—For Japanese patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), atorvastatin plus ezetimibe is associated with improved outcomes versus atorvastatin alone, according to a study published in ...

Cardiology

New drug significantly lowers bad cholesterol

For many people with high cholesterol, statins serve as the first line of treatment. However, some patients are unable to effectively reduce their low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) or "bad cholesterol" ...

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Ezetimibe

Ezetimibe ( /ɛˈzɛtɨmɪb/) is a drug that lowers cholesterol. It acts by decreasing cholesterol absorption in the intestine. It may be used alone (marketed as Zetia or Ezetrol), when other cholesterol-lowering medications are not tolerated, or together with statins (e.g., ezetimibe/simvastatin, marketed as Vytorin and Inegy) when statins alone do not control cholesterol.

Even though ezetimibe decreases cholesterol levels, the results of two major, high-quality clinical trials (in 2008 and 2009) showed that it did not improve clinically significant outcomes, such as major coronary events, and actually made some outcomes, such as artery wall thickness, worse. Indeed, a panel of experts concluded in 2008 that it should "only be used as a last resort". In one of those studies, a head-to-head trial in 2009, a much less expensive medication (extended-release niacin) was found to be superior. Ezetimibe actually increased the thickness of artery walls (a measurement of atherosclerosis) and caused more major cardiovascular events. However, in combination with simvastatin, a 2010 trial has shown it to be better than atorvastatin and rosuvastatin at lowering lipid levels. A significantly more positive view of the benefits of Ezetimibe is offered by Britain's NICE.

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