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Results of study comparing Vytorin and Zetia announced:
January 15, 2008. - A news release from Merck/Shcering-Plough Pharmaceuticals announced the results of the ENHANCE trial yesterday. Today many of the news media are presenting articles suggesting that Zetia and Vytorin are unsafe and patients should not be taking them.
Zetia is a brand name for ezetimibe. Vytorin is a brand name for a pill containing both ezetimibe and simvastatin. The ENHANCE trial was designed to determine whether Vytorin reduced the thickness of plaques in the artery wall better than simvastatin alone. The study found no significant difference.
Dr. Dawson thinks it is premature to stop taking Zetia or Vytorin on the basis of this study for several reasons:
- The study has not been published yet. Only a news release from the manufacturer is available. No independent authorities have had a chance to analyze the study.
- The study was done on a small number of patients with a rare lipid disorder (Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia.). The average LDL-cholesterol in the patients in the study was over 300. This is not typical of most patients taking Zetia or Vytorin. The results of the study may not apply to most patients being treated for high cholesterol.
- The study compared patients taking the combination of simvastatin and Zetia to patients taking only simvastatin. It did not compare either of these treatments to patients not taking any medicine for high cholesterol.
- The study did not prove that there is more risk to taking Zetia with simvastatin than taking simvastatin alone.
- The study did not look at the risk of Zetia or Vytorin compared to taking another cholesterol medicine (such as Pravachol, Lipitor or Crestor.)
- The study did confirm that Vytorin lowers cholesterol more than simvastatin alone.
The full press release can be seen at:
www.merck.com/newsroom/press_releases/product/2008_0114.html
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