Ezetimibe
- Class: Cholesterol absorption inhibitor
- Used for: high cholesterol
- Say it: eh-ZET-ih-mibe
- Forms: tablet
Mnemonic: EZEtimibe makes it EASY for cholesterol to pass straight through
It blocks NPC1L1, the transporter on the gut lining that dietary and biliary cholesterol use to get in. That has nothing to do with the liver enzyme a statin blocks, which is exactly why the two add up.
It blocks NPC1L1, the transporter on the gut lining that dietary and biliary cholesterol use to get in. That has nothing to do with the liver enzyme a statin blocks, which is exactly why the two add up.
Side effects
Common: diarrhea, joint pain, tiredness
Serious:
Typical dose
10 mg once daily
One dose only — there is nothing to titrate. Any time of day, with or without food.
Check yourself
A patient on a maximum-dose statin still has a high LDL. Why does adding ezetimibe help?
- It blocks cholesterol absorption in the gut — a different step from the statin's
- It blocks the same liver enzyme more strongly
- It raises the concentration of the statin in the blood
- It converts LDL into HDL
Show answer
A. It blocks cholesterol absorption in the gut — a different step from the statin's
The statin has already shut down synthesis as far as it will go. Ezetimibe closes the other entrance, the NPC1L1 transporter in the gut, so the two mechanisms stack instead of competing for the same target.
See it, don't memorize it
The app has the mechanism comic and a patient case for Ezetimibe – plus the name link, the class mnemonic, pronunciation you can hear, and a self-check, for the top 100 drugs. One purchase, no subscription, no account.