Zetia is the brand name for the drug ezetimibe, a medication used to reduce the amount of cholesterol or other sterols absorbed by the body, according to Drugs.com. In addition to taking Zetia, patients are often prescribed a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. The drug can be used for other purposes as well, such as treating high levels of specific chemicals in the blood. As with any medication, Zetia has the risk of side effects.
Mild Side Effects
Up to 4.3 percent of people using Zetia have reported side effects like the common cold or other upper respiratory tract infections, indicates eMedTV.com. Other common effects of the drug are considered to be mild, and can include diarrhea, pain in the joints, sinus infection, pain in the arms or the legs, or fatigue.
More Bothersome Side Effects
Drugs.com suggests that some users may experience numbness or a tingly feeling, mild stomach pain, dizziness, headache, depressed mood, joint pain, back pain or a cough. These symptoms may occur between 1 and 3.2 percent of the time, according to eMedTV.com. Some users may experience flu-like symptoms, states eMedTV.com.
Serious Side Effects
Any serious side effects should be reported to a doctor right away. Examples of such side effects, as reported by Drugs.com, include unusual muscle weakness, muscle tenderness, pain in the muscles, chest pain, fever, sore throat, headache with severe blistering of the skin, skin peeling or a red skin rash. Signs of liver failure or damage are possible, states Drugs.com. Symptoms of this include nausea, low fever, loss of appetite, darkened urine, clay-colored stools, or the yellowing of the eyes and the skin. Pancreatitis is also a possible side effect of Zetia use. Symptoms of this include severe pain in the upper stomach spreading to the back, accompanied by nausea, vomiting and an increased heart rate.
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