Lipitor vs. Zetia: Comparison

• 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,