Generic Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe is a drug that is used for the treatment of elevated levels of blood cholesterol. The most commonly used class of drugs for lowering cholesterol levels the statins act by preventing the production of cholesterol by the liver. Ezetimibe has a different mechanism of action and lowers blood cholesterol by reducing the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine. It does not affect the absorption of triglycerides or fat-soluble vitamins.

However, Ezetimibe can be used together with the statins such as Lovastatin, Mevacor, Atorvastatin, Lipitor, Simvastatin, Zocor, Pravastatin, Pravachol or Rosuvastatin i.e. Crestor to further lower the levels of cholesterol. Moreover, Lowering blood levels of cholesterol and fats may help to prevent heart disease, angina i.e. chest pain, strokes, and heart attacks.

Ezetimibe was approved by the FDA in October 2002.

However, before taking Ezetimibe i.e. Zetia medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient and read it carefully. Talk to your doctor about all the possible risks of taking Zetia medication. However, Zetia may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. Hence, for more information, consult your doctor and your medical pharmacist.

Follow the directions given by the doctor exactly for the usage of the Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe medication and also read the prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.

Generic Ezetimibe i.e. Zetia comes in a form of a tablet, which has to be taken orally. Ezetimibe can be taken with or without food and at the same time as statin drugs. However, the recommended dose of Ezetimibe is 10 mg daily. Try to take it around the same time every day, which shall help you to remember to take Ezetimibe medication. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Continue to take Ezetimibe even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Ezetimibe without talking to your doctor.

If you wish to use the medication for your children, please contact your pediatrician for the dosage.

If you notice any of the symptoms, which seem severe or persistent to you, please contact your doctor immediately. However, your doctor may need to monitor you carefully for side effects and alter the doses if necessary.

However, Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe is well-tolerated. The overall rate of side effects with Ezetimibe in clinical studies was similar to that reported with placebo an inactive sugar pill. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, back pain, joint pain and sinusitis were the most commonly reported side effects occurring in 1 in every 25 to 30 patients. Rarely hypersensitivity reactions including angioedema i.e. swelling of the skin and underlying tissues of the head and neck that can be life-threatening and skin rash. Pancreatitis and nausea may occur. Muscle damage myopathy or Rhabdomyolysis and hepatitis have rarely been associated with the use of Ezetimibe.

Inform your doctor if you experience any of these side effects or some new side effects occur which appear too bothersome to you.

Inform your doctor if you are allergic to the formulation of this medication or any other medication in any other form and also inform your doctor about any other medication you may be taking in any other form, as they may affect the way your medicine works.
Cholestyramine i.e. Questran, colestipol i.e. Colestid and colesevelam i.e. WelChol, bile acid-binding drugs that may be used to treat elevated levels of cholesterol bind to Ezetimibe and reduce its absorption from the intestine by about 50. Therefore, Ezetimibe should be taken at least two hours after or one hour before these drugs. Cyclosporine increases the levels of Ezetimibe and could lead to greater side effects of Ezetimibe.

However, there are no adequate studies of Ezetimibe in pregnant women. Therefore, physicians must weight the benefit of prescribing Ezetimibe during pregnancy against the potential but unknown risks.

Moreover, Zetia may also interact with some kind of foods, varied medications, herbal products, nutritional supplements, vitamins, other OTC medicines etc. Acquire more information about the interactions of the Zetia medication from your doctor and the medical pharmacists.

In case of overdose call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
If the suffering patient has collapsed or is not breathing call local emergency services at 911. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

Do not allow any other person to use your medication without getting doctor’s prescription themselves and also avoid using this medicine for other health conditions on your own. Keep the medicine away from the children and pets.

Also inform your doctor, if you are pregnant or are breast feeding. If you conceive during the course, inform your doctor immediately. Do not share your medicines with anyone, even if they have the same symptoms, for it may harm them. Do not begin, increase, decrease, or stop using this medicine on your own.
Remember, it is very important to keep regular appointments with your doctor to study the way your body is responding to the course. And if you are going to have a surgery, tell your health care professional that you are taking Zetia medication.

Moreover, for the best results, the Zetia medicine should be used along with exercise, a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet, and a weight loss program if you are overweight. However, follow the dietary plan, provided by your doctor.

And in case, if you wish to use the medicine in children, please contact your pediatrician for sure before its use.

If you missed the dose, do take the medicine immediately provided that there is ample of time in between the next dose. However, if it is almost time for the next dose skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Never double your doses to cope up with the missed. And in case, if you miss your one or two consecutive doses consult to your doctor or physician for guidance and continue further.

Generic Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe is used to reduce LDL cholesterol bad cholesterol concentrations in the blood. It is estimated that 60 of the 13 million patients who are already taking drugs primarily statins for elevated levels of cholesterol continue to have levels of LDL cholesterol bad cholesterol that are higher than recommended levels. These patients may need to take an additional drug to bring levels of cholesterol down to recommended levels. Ezetimibe can be used together with the statins such as Lovastatin, Mevacor, Atorvastatin, Lipitor, Simvastatin, Zocor, Pravastatin, Pravachol or Rosuvastatin i.e. Crestor to further lower the levels of cholesterol.

However, it may also be used to treat some other medical conditions which may be determined by your doctor accordingly and consult a pediatrician for the use of this medication in children.

The Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe medication may be prescribed for other uses also, so ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about the Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe medication.

Generic Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe tablets should be stored at room temperature 59-86°F and 15-30°C in a cool and dry place. Check Expiry date without fail. Keep all medicines away from women, newborns, children and pets. Do not freeze in any case. Also, keep it away from heat, dampness and direct light. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down. When the medicine is not in use or outdated it should be discarded. Take help of your pharmacist in disposing this medicine properly. In any case, do not store the Zetia tablets in the bathroom.

Following precautions must be taken during consuming generic Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe:

1. Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had: kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, low or high blood pressure or any other severe disease etc. Also inform, if you drink alcoholic beverages or smoke.

2. Also acknowledge your doctor if you need to undergo any kind of surgery, including dental surgery or need an x-ray procedure that uses contrast agents. So, inform your doctors immediately about it, so that the doctor can decide whether to continue taking Zetia medication or stop it during the surgery.

3. Let the doctor also know, if you are in-taking or are planning to take any prescribed or non prescribed medicines, health supplements or any other OTC medications, vitamins etc. Be sure to mention any of the following: cyclosporine i.e. Neoral, Sandimmune, Fenofibrate i.e. Tricor, and gemfibrozil i.e. Lopid. This is because, your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.

4. Do not use the Zetia i.e. Ezetimibe medication, if you have any kind of allergy to it or to any ingredients of it and tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and get treated.

5. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding before taking Zetia medication. Hence also, inform your doctor immediately when you plan to conceive, or become pregnant during the course as this drug should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy.

6. Do not share the drug with others unless they are prescribed by the doctor themselves. And if your symptoms of side effects do not improve in few weeks or if they become worse and bothersome, check these conditions immediately with your doctor.

7. Please, use the Zetia medicine in the prescribed amount and do not overdose it or use it for the longer period of time. Do not discontinue on your own and consult your doctor before doing so to avoid further problems.

8. Regularly, keep your appointments with your doctor and keep an eye on the progress or side effects that has been noticed during the complete course. Also, avoid alcohol and alcohol containing beverages during the complete.

9. If you are taking cholestyramine i.e. Questran, colesevelam i.e. WelChol, colestipol i.e. Colestid, take it 4 hours before or 2 hours after ezetimibe.

10. For more information, contact your doctor and your pharmacists and also discuss the risks and benefits of the generic Zetia.