Lipitor vs. Zetia

• Are Lipitor and Zetia the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Lipitor?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Zetia?
• What is Lipitor?
• What is Zetia?
• What drugs interact with Lipitor?
• What drugs interact with Zetia?
• How Should Lipitor Be Taken?
• How Should Zetia Be Taken?

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use. Certain other drugs can increase your risk of serious muscle problems, and it is very important that your doctor knows if you are using any of them:

• amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone);
• colchicine (Colcrys);
• danazol (Danocrine);
• diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Dilacor, Diltia, Diltzac, Taztia, Tiazac) or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan);
• gemfibrozil (Lopid), fenofibric acid (Fibricor, Trilipix), or fenofibrate (Antara, Fenoglide, Lipofen, Lofibra, Tricor, Triglide);
• ranolazine (Ranexa);
• medicines that contain niacin (Advicor, Zetia, Niacor, Simcor, Slo-Niacin, and others); or
• drugs that weaken your immune system, such as steroids, cancer medicine, or medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, such as sirolimus (Rapamune) or tacrolimus (Prograf).

Also tell your doctor if you use:

• cimetidine (Tagamet);
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);
• spironolactone (Aldactone, Aldactazide); or
• any other "statin" medication such as atorvastatin (Lipitor, Caduet), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin and niacin (Advicor), pravastatin (Zetia), rosuvastatin (Crestor), or simvastatin (Lipitor, Simcor, Vytorin).

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with lovastatin. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Zetia may interact with cholestyramine, colestipol, colesevelam, gemfibrozil, cyclosporine, or blood thinners.

Lipitor is a prescription medicine that lowers cholesterol in your blood. It lowers the LDL-C ("bad" cholesterol) and triglycerides in your blood. It can raise your HDL-C ("good" cholesterol) as well. Lipitor is for adults and children over 10 whose cholesterol does not come down enough with exercise and a low-fat diet alone.

Lipitor can lower the risk for heart attack, stroke, certain types of heart surgery, and chest pain in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease such as:

• age,
• smoking,
• high blood pressure,
• low HDL-C,
• heart disease in the family.

Lipitor can lower the risk for heart attack or stroke in patients with diabetes and risk factors such as:

• eye problems,
• kidney problems,
• smoking, or
• high blood pressure.

Lipitor starts to work in about 2 weeks.

Zetia is a medicine used to lower levels of total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. Zetia is for patients who cannot control their cholesterol levels by diet and exercise alone. It can be used by itself or with other medicines to treat high cholesterol. You should stay on a cholesterollowering diet while taking this medicine.

Zetia works to reduce the amount of cholesterol your body absorbs. Zetia does not help you lose weight. Zetia has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks.

Take Lipitor exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not change your dose or stop Lipitor without talking to your doctor. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels during your treatment with Lipitor. Your dose of Lipitor may be changed based on these blood test results.

Take Lipitor each day at any time of day at about the same time each day. Lipitor can be taken with or without food.

Don't break Lipitor tablets before taking.

Your doctor should start you on a low-fat diet before giving you Lipitor. Stay on this low-fat diet when you take Lipitor.

If you miss a dose of Lipitor, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take Lipitor if it has been more than 12 hours since you missed your last dose. Wait and take the next dose at your regular time.

Do not take 2 doses of Lipitor at the same time.

If you take too much Lipitor or overdose, call your doctor or Poison Control Center right away. Or go to the nearest emergency room.

The recommended dose of Zetia is 10 mg once daily