NICE recommends Ezetrol (ezetimibe) for treating primary hypercholesterolaemia- Merck Inc

NICE has published revised draft guidance on Ezetrol (ezetimibe), from Merck Inc, that in essence reverts to the guidance being reviewed. It recommends ezetimibe on its own as an option for treating primary hypercholesterolaemia in adults in whom initial statin therapy is contraindicated or not tolerated. It also recommends ezetimibe in combination with initial statin therapy as an option when cholesterol concentration is not appropriately controlled after the dose of the statin has been increased, or where a person is unable to have higher doses of the statin because it is likely to cause side effects, and a change to an alternative statin is being considered.

Comment: Zetia has struggled in comparison to competitors in clinical trials, with Zetia losing out to Niaspan from Abbvie at unclogging arteries. Vytorin, a combo of Zetia and statin Zocor, has proved no more effective at the task than Zocor on its own.