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What is the most important information I should know about ezetimibe?
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Ezetimibe 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. |
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Do not stop using ezetimibe without first talking to your
doctor. It may take several weeks of taking the medication before your
condition improves. |
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Ezetimibe reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the
body. |
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Ezetimibe is used to treat high cholesterol. Ezetimibe is
sometimes given with other cholesterol-lowering medications. |
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Ezetimibe may also be used for purposes other than those
listed in this medication guide. |
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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking
ezetimibe?
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Do not use this medication if you are allergic to ezetimibe,
or if you have liver disease. |
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Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are
allergic to any drugs, or if you have: |
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if you use steroid medicine or hormones (including birth
control pills). |
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If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to
use ezetimibe, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests
during treatment. |
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FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to
an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become
pregnant during treatment. |
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It is not known whether ezetimibe passes into breast milk or
if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without
telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. |
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Older adults may be more likely to have side effects from
this medicine. |
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How should I take ezetimibe?
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Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you.
Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than
recommended by your doctor. |
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Take this medication with a full glass of water. |
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Ezetimibe is usually taken once a day. You may take the
medicine with or without food. Take ezetimibe at the same time each day.
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Some cholesterol medications should not be taken at the
same time. Do not take ezetimibe with cholestyramine (Prevalite,
Questran), colestipol (Colestid), or colesevelam (Welchol). Wait at
least 4 hours after taking any of these medicines before you take
ezetimibe. You may also take ezetimibe 2 hours before taking any of
these other medicines. |
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Ezetimibe may be taken at the same time with
fenofibrate (Antara, Lipofen, Lofibra, TriCor, Triglide), or with any of
the "statin" drugs such as lovastatin (Mevacor), simvastatin (Zocor),
pravastatin (Pravachol), fluvastatin (Lescol), atorvastatin (Lipitor),
or cerivastatin (Baycol). |
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Ezetimibe 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. |
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To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects,
your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your liver
function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to
your doctor. |
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Do not stop using ezetimibe without first talking to your
doctor. It may take several weeks of taking the medication before your
condition improves. |
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Store ezetimibe at room temperature away from moisture and
heat. |
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What happens if I miss a dose?
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Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is
almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the
medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra
medicine to make up the missed dose. |
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What happens if I overdose?
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Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used
too much of this medicine. |
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An overdose of ezetimibe is not expected to produce
life-threatening symptoms. |
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What should I avoid while taking ezetimibe?
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Avoid eating foods that are high in fat or cholesterol.
Ezetimibe will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you
do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan. |
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What are the possible side effects of ezetimibe?
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Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs
of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of
your face, lips, tongue, or throat. |
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Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious
side effects: |
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unusual muscle weakness, tenderness, or pain; |
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nausea,
stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored
stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). |
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Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur,
such as: |
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stomach pain, diarrhea; |
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runny or
stuffy nose, cold symptoms; |
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headache, dizziness; or |
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Side effects other than those listed here may also occur.
Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is
especially bothersome. |
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What other drugs will affect ezetimibe?
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Before taking ezetimibe, tell your doctor if you are using
any of the following drugs: |
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cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran); |
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clofibrate (Atromid-S); |
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cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf); or |
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a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin). |
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If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to
use ezetimibe or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during
treatment. |
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There may be other drugs not listed that can affect
ezetimibe. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and
over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals,
herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start
using a new medication without telling your doctor. |
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Where can I get more information?
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Your pharmacist may have more information about ezetimibe
written for health professionals that you may read. |
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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach
of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this
medication only for the indication prescribed. |
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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information
provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and
complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information
contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been
compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United
States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the
United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise.
Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or
recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational
resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring
for their patients and/ or to serve consumers viewing this service as a
supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge
and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a
given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate
that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for
any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any
aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum
provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all
possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions,
allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the
drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. |
Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 2.02. Revision
date: 7/ 27/ 06. |
