Zetia patients may face increased risk of heart attack and other side effects
A new study has found that patients taking Zetia may be five times more likely to suffer heart attacks or other serious side effects than those who are prescribed another cholesterol treatment. Researchers in the study also found that Zetia was much less effective at treating atherosclerosis—the buildup of plaque in the arteries—than another cholesterol drug, Niaspan.
The study found that patients taking Niaspan experienced a reduced thickness in the walls of their arteries—a sign of improvement in their atherosclerosis. Patients treated with Zetia showed almost no improvement.
Researchers were more concerned by the increased rate of side effects shown by patients who were prescribed Zetia. The study found that Zetia users were five times more likely to suffer major adverse events compared to Niaspan—including heart attacks, death caused by heart disease, hospitalization or the need to undergo surgery to clear their arteries.
Previous research has show that Zetia and Vytorin—a combination of Zetia and the statin drug Zocor—are no more effective at improving cholesterol levels than older and less expensive drugs. In August 2009, the manufacturer of Zetia and Vytorin agreed to a $41.5 million settlement in lawsuits filed by former patients and insurers who alleged that the companies charged too much for their drugs based on their limited effectiveness.
Based on the results of the study, researchers advised doctors to limit their use of Zetia and Vytorin until data emerges showing that they reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.