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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
With so many drugs available to lower cholesterol, people naturally would like to know about the benefits and risks of each. We have written quite a bit about the side effects of statins such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). Probably the most troublesome side effect patients report on one of these drugs is muscle pain or weakness. But what about ezetimibe (Zetia)? As it turns out, Zetia may cause muscle problems, too. One reader wonders why doctors don’t prescribe Zetia more often.Zetia May Cause Muscle Problems!Q. I have tried many statin drugs for cholesterol, but all gave me muscle pain and cramps. My doctor put me on Zetia and insists it can’t cause muscle pain since it is not absorbed into the blood stream. I still have muscle pain, cramps and tingling in my legs and feet. Can Zetia cause this?A. Although Zetia works differently from statin cholesterol-lowering drugs such as atorvastatin or simvastatin, it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Muscle side effects seem to be less common with Zetia than with the statin drugs, but Zetia may cause muscle problems too.How Does Zetia Work?Ezetimibe works differently from most other cholesterol-lowering drugs. Statins such as atorvastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin lower cholesterol by blocking its formation. They do this by interfering with the production of cholesterol by blocking a key enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase.Zetia is absorbed into the blood stream, circulates through the body and exerts its pharmacological action on the cells lining the small intestines. It blocks
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