Is Vytorin Safe?

Vytorin is a medication used to lower high cholesterol. It includes a combination of simvastatin (Zocor) and ezetimibe (Zetia) that each affect the body in different ways. Vytorin is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat high cholesterol and is considered safe, but does have some rare side effects. These effects are primarily associated with simvastatin.

Function

• Simvastatin, like other statin medications, block a liver enzyme necessary for producing cholesterol. Ezetimibe, in contrast, reduces absorption of cholesterol in the intestines.

Side Effects

• Side effects are generally uncommon, and are experienced by fewer than 5% of patients using Vytorin, as explained by eMedTV. They include headache, diarrhea, upper respiratory infection or flu, and muscle, back, arm or leg pain.

Serious Effects

• More serious effects include myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Myopathy is an uncommon side effect that causes muscle weakness and pain, but is usually reversible. Rhabdomyolysis causes skeletal muscle breakdown, which can lead to life-threatening kidney damage. This disorder is rare.

Contraindications

• Pregnant women should not take Vytorin because it can cause birth defects. Other health conditions that may raise safety concerns when taking this drug include kidney or liver disease, diabetes, thyroid disorders and muscle disorders.

Drug Interactions

• Vytorin interacts with many drugs, and the combinations can be unsafe. These include antibiotics, anticoagulants, antifungals, blood pressure medications, hormones, immune system suppressants and steroids.