Zetia

Generic name:ezetimibe [ ez-ET-i-mibe ]
Drug class:Cholesterol absorption inhibitors

Medically reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD. Last updated on Aug 5, 2021.

What is Zetia?

Zetia reduces the level of total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. Zetia is used to treat high cholesterol in people who cannot control their cholesterol levels by diet and exercise alone.

Zetia works to reduce the amount of cholesterol your body absorbs. You should stay on a cholesterol-lowering diet while taking this medicine.

Zetia is sometimes given together with other cholesterol-lowering medications.

Warnings

Zetia is only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet, exercise, and weight control. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely.

Some cholesterol medications should not be taken at the same time. If you take Zetia with another cholesterol medicine, follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.

You should not use Zetia if you have moderate to severe liver disease. You should not use Zetia with a "statin" cholesterol medicine if you have active liver disease, or if you are pregnant or breast-feeding a baby.

Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Zetia if you are allergic to ezetimibe, or if you have:

• moderate to severe liver disease.

Zetia is not approved for use by anyone younger than 10 years old.

You should not use Zetia with a "statin" cholesterol medicine (Zocor, Lipitor, Crestor, and others) if:

• you have active liver disease;