High cholesterol plagues millions of Americans, increasing their risk of heart disease. The first line of defense is dietary changes, but if this doesn't work, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication. There are many to choose from, and your physician aims for the one that produces the best results. In some cases this requires combining one or more to achieve the best results.
Zetia
Know generically as ezetimibe, Zetia is a cholesterol absorption inhibitor. It absorbs dietary cholesterol in your blood before your body has a chance to. Zetia can lower your LDL---bad cholesterol---between 18 percent and 25 percent when taken alone. It can be combined with other medications, such as a statin, to achieve better results.
Zocor
Zocor, a statin, is known generically as simvastatin. Statins slow the production of cholesterol in the liver, and may also increase your liver's ability to clear excess LDL from your blood. Statins are the most commonly prescribed medications because of their efficacy and lack of side effects. Their efficacy ranges between 20 percent and 55 percent when used alone. They can, however, be combined with other drugs when their efficacy is too low.
Vytorin
Vytorin is a pharmaceutical combination of Zocor and Zetia. It decreases the amount of dietary cholesterol your body absorbs while simultaneously slowing the production of cholesterol in your liver. Although these drugs can be taken together when prescribed separately, it is not clear whether Vytorin itself is effective at reducing your risk of heart disease, explains the Mayo Clinic.
Side Effects
Zetia and Zocor have similar common side effects. These include joint pain, cold symptoms such as a runny nose, headache, stomach pain and cough. Their biggest commonality is in the more serious, long-term side effects. These include muscle weakness, tenderness and pain, as well as yellow coloring of the eyes and skin. The muscular problems can lead to rare but sometimes life-threatening conditions, such as muscle damage and rhabdomyolysis. This condition causes breakdown of your muscle cells, and can lead to kidney failure.
Efficacy
Effectiveness is going to vary for each person. It may take several weeks before your doctor finds the right medication and dosage for you. You must also do your part, and follow a low-fat diet along with a moderate exercise routine that your doctor approves of. No medication is a miracle cure.
