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Vytorin
Vytorin, which is a combination of two drugs: ezetimibe (marketed as Zetia in the United States) and the statin drug simvastatin (marketed as Zocor). Vytorin is prescribed for the treatment of dyslipidemia, which occurs when the amount of lipids in the bloodstream is disrupted. In the U.S., this usually involves an elevation of lipids due to diet or lifestyle. The Zocor in Vytorin is designed to combat the disease by blocking an enzyme in the blood that enables the body's production of cholesterol, while the Zetia is meant to reduce the amount of cholesterol that the body absorbs from food.
However, an extensive study completed in mid 2006, and released in January 2008 has shown that taking Vytorin had no benefit on the buildup of artery plaque when compared with patients taking only Zocor. This finding is significant, as Vytorin is three times more expensive than the generic version of Zocor (simvastatin). The manufacturer has disputed the study's findings, but within weeks of the study's release a class action lawsuit has already been filed against Merck and Schering-Plough. The Vytorin lawsuit alleges that the companies have known since 2006 that their drug was no more effective than the cheaper generic Zocor, despite leading consumers to believe the opposite.
Fast Facts
| Name: | Vytorin |
| Generic: | Ezetimibe and Simvastatin |
| Manufacturer: | Merck/Schering-Plough |
| Date approved: | July 23, 2004 |
| Status: | Prescription only |
| Approved uses: | Approved for the treatment of dyslipidemia, a disruption in the amount of lipids in the blood. |
| Off-Label uses: | Has a possible off-label ability to eliminate blood vessel inflammation often associated with being the cause of high BP |
| Side effects: | Headache and muscle pain |
| Related topics: | Zetia |
Three Studies Report Possible Vytorin-cancer Link
Three studies Report Possible Vytorin -cancer link Three separate studies of the cholesterol-lowering combination drug Vytorin have reported results that show a possible connection between the drug... read more
View the Vytorin Main Articles page here
MSN Newsfeeds Related to Vytorin
Cholesterol drug flap hurts sales
Capitol Hill Watch | Rep. Stupak Works To Increase FDA Oversight ...
View the Vytorin MSN Newsfeeds page here
News Articles Related to Vytorin
The Associated Press: FDA: Some cholesterol and heart drugs don't mix
DELETED: CORRECT: FDA Issues Alert Over Simvastatin, Not Vytorin
View the Vytorin News Articles page here
Wikipedia Entries Related to Vytorin
View the Vytorin Wikipedia Entries page here
Books Related to Vytorin
Zetia & Vytorin case study: successfully challenging the statin market
Nuevo medicamento contra el colesterol.(Vytorin): An article from: Siempre!
View the Vytorin Books page here
