Together with your doctor, you have made an important decision to treat your high cholesterol with VYTORIN. Now, it's important to stay on your medication as directed by your doctor.
As you may know, high LDL (bad) cholesterol can lead to heart disease, heart attack, or stroke. Cholesterol builds up in your bloodstream silently. That means you may not have any symptoms.
Unfortunately, high cholesterol cannot be cured. It is a long-term condition that can only be controlled. If you stop taking your medication, your cholesterol can rise again. That’s why it’s important to maintain a healthy diet in addition to taking VYTORIN according to your doctor’s instructions.
By staying on VYTORIN, you can be confident that you are taking the only medication that treats both sources of cholesterol by:
- Helping block the absorption of cholesterol that comes from the food you eat, and
- Reducing the cholesterol your body makes naturally.
VYTORIN contains two cholesterol medicines, Zetia (ezetimibe) and Zocor (simvastatin), in a single tablet. VYTORIN has not been shown to reduce heart attacks or strokes more than Zocor alone.
The result is that less bad cholesterol ends up in your bloodstream.
Continuing to take just 1 tablet of VYTORIN a day helps to:
- Lower bad (LDL) cholesterol
- Lower total cholesterol
- Lower triglycerides (fatty substances in your blood)
- Raise HDL (good) cholesterol
Remember to take 1 pill a day in the evening, as your doctor prescribes—with or without food, as you choose.
- Make pills part of your evening routine, say, at bedtime
- If you take several medications, use a list or chart to remind you to take the right ones at the right times
- Try using a pillbox with slots for each day of the week to hold your doses
Important Risk Information About VYTORIN:
VYTORIN is a prescription tablet and isn’t right for everyone, including women who are nursing or pregnant or who may become pregnant, and anyone with liver problems.
Unexplained muscle pain or weakness could be a sign of a rare but serious side effect and should be reported to your doctor right away. VYTORIN may interact with other medicines or certain foods, increasing your risk of getting this serious side effect. So, tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking.
Your doctor may do simple blood tests before and during treatment with VYTORIN to check for liver problems. Side effects included headache, muscle pain, and diarrhea.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please read the Patient Product Information and discuss it with your doctor. Also available is the physician Prescribing Information.
