Ezetimibe belongs to the class of medications called cholesterol absorption inhibitors. It works by reducing the cholesterol absorbed in the small intestine. Ezetimibe lowers the amount of 'bad cholesterol' (low density lipoprotein or LDL-cholesterol) and 'fat' (triglyceride) as well as increase the amount of 'good cholesterol' (high density lipoprotein or HDL-cholesterol) in the blood.
High 'bad cholesterol' levels can cause your blood vessels to clog up and lead to chest pain (angina), heart attack or stroke. Hence, this medication may reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.
Inform your healthcare professional of these side-effects do not go away and interfere with your daily life.
Rare but serious side effects that need to seek medical advice immediately
Very rarely, ezetimibe may cause muscle or liver problems. These symptoms may include one or more of the following:
The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:
If your experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.
Inform your healthcare processional if:
Some medications may interact with Ezetimibe and affect their effectiveness or increase the risk of side-effects. However, these medications may also be important for your treatment. Inform your healthcare professional of the other medications you are currently taking. Examples include:
If your forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Then take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.
If your take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare processional for more information.
throw away all expired medications.
Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.