Zetia Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Zetia Tablet (ezetimibe) is a prescription medicine used to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood. It works by keeping the small intestine from absorbing cholesterol from food, and it is often used along with diet changes and sometimes with other cholesterol medicines. It is also used for certain inherited cholesterol conditions and to lower plant sterol levels in a rare condition called sitosterolemia.

What is Zetia Tablet

Zetia is a prescription medicine that helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) in your blood. It belongs to a class of medicines called cholesterol absorption inhibitors. It works by keeping your small intestine from absorbing cholesterol from the food you eat. It is often used along with diet changes, and sometimes with other cholesterol medicines.

Zetia Tablet uses

• Lowers bad cholesterol (LDL-C) in people with high cholesterol levels
• Used for people with inherited cholesterol conditions (familial hypercholesterolemia) and mixed hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and triglycerides)
• Lowers elevated plant sterol levels (sitosterol and campesterol) in people with a rare inherited condition called sitosterolemia
• Used along with a low-cholesterol diet, and may be combined with other cholesterol-lowering medicines

Benefits of Zetia Tablet

• Can lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
• May be used by people who cannot take statins or who need extra cholesterol lowering beyond what a statin provides
• Works well when combined with a statin or with fenofibrate for certain cholesterol conditions

How Zetia Tablet works

This medicine blocks your intestines from absorbing cholesterol from food. With less cholesterol coming in, your liver uses up its stored cholesterol, which helps clear more cholesterol out of your blood.

Zetia Tablet dosage

Take this medicine by mouth at the same time every day. You can take it with or without food; if it upsets your stomach, take it with food. Keep taking it unless your care team tells you to stop. If you also take a bile acid sequestrant medicine, take this medicine 2 hours before or 4 hours after that medicine. It may be prescribed for children as young as 10 for certain conditions, but talk with your care team first. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but if it's almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one — do not take double or extra doses.

Available forms and strengths

• Oral tablet (10 mg)

Side effects of Zetia Tablet

Common

• Cold, flu, or sinus infection symptoms
• Sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Joint pain
• Pain in the arms or legs
• Tiredness

Serious

• Severe allergic reaction (breathing problems, wheezing, racing heart, swelling of face/lips/tongue/throat, hives, trouble swallowing)
• Liver damage (nausea, stomach pain, fever, unusual tiredness, itching, loss of appetite, light-colored stools, dark urine, yellowing of skin or eyes)
• Muscle problems including muscle breakdown (unexplained muscle pain, weakness, tenderness, dark urine, fever, muscle cramps)

Warnings and precautions

• Do not take this medicine with fenofibrate or gemfibrozil unless specifically directed, and tell your care team about other cholesterol medicines, immune-suppressing drugs like cyclosporine, or herbal products like red yeast rice.
• This medicine can cause serious allergic reactions, including swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing, or hives.
• This medicine can cause muscle problems, including rare but serious muscle breakdown that can lead to kidney damage.
• Your doctor may need to monitor your liver function with blood tests while you take this medicine.
• Pregnancy: It isn't known if this medicine is safe during pregnancy. Animal studies suggest it could possibly harm a developing baby.
•  If you take it along with a statin medicine, you should not become pregnant, as statins can cause serious birth defects.
• Breastfeeding: It isn't known if this medicine passes into breast milk. Talk with your care team before breastfeeding, since your treatment plan may need to change.
• Kidney: Tell your care team if you have kidney disease before starting this medicine.
• Liver: People with liver problems generally should not use this medicine alone or with a statin, since the liver may not break it down properly, raising the risk of side effects and liver damage.
• Alcohol: There are no known direct interactions between this medicine and alcohol, but heavy drinking can damage your liver over time and may raise your risk of side effects if you also take a statin.
• Driving: Liver tests may be needed when Zetia is combined with a statin.

Storage

• Store at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C)
• Protect from moisture
• Keep out of the reach of children and pets
• Get rid of any unused medication after the expiration date

When to see a doctor

• Stop taking this medicine and get help right away if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as breathing problems, wheezing, a racing heart, or swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat.
• Call your health care provider right away if you notice signs of liver problems, such as nausea, stomach pain, fever, unusual tiredness, itching, loss of appetite, light-colored stools, dark urine, or yellowing of your skin or eyes.
• Stop taking this medicine and get help right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, weakness, or tenderness, dark urine, fever, or muscle cramps, as these can be signs of a serious muscle problem.
• If you think you or someone else has taken too much of this medicine, get medical help right away or contact a poison control center.

Alternatives

• Bempedoic acid
• Pravastatin
• Rosuvastatin
• Atorvastatin