amlodipine vs ezetimibe/simvastatin
Side-by-side comparison of amlodipine and ezetimibe/simvastatin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
major Known Drug Interaction
For patients taking amiodarone, amlodipine, or ranolazine, do not exceed VYTORIN 10/20 mg daily [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ] .
Recommendation: Your daily dose of ezetimibe and simvastatin should be limited to 10 mg/20 mg to prevent muscle problems.
Norvasc
Vytorin
Amlodipine (Norvasc) is a drug that lowers blood pressure and treats chest pain. It belongs to a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers.
Vytorin is a combination medicine that contains ezetimibe and simvastatin. It helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) in your blood.
This medicine treats high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Amlodipine also treats chest pain (angina) caused by coronary artery disease, including chronic stable angina and vasospastic angina.
Vytorin is used along with a healthy diet to lower high LDL cholesterol. It is used in adults with primary hyperlipidemia and in adults and children 10 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). Vytorin can also be used with other cholesterol-lowering treatments for adults with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). Simvastatin, one of the drugs in Vytorin, can also lower the risk of heart problems like heart attack and stroke in adults with heart disease, blood vessel disease, or diabetes.
Amlodipine blocks calcium from entering heart and blood vessel cells. This relaxes and widens blood vessels, making it easier for blood to flow. As a result, the heart does not have to work as hard, which lowers blood pressure and reduces chest pain.
Ezetimibe reduces the amount of cholesterol your body absorbs from food. Simvastatin belongs to a class of drugs called statins. Statins lower cholesterol by blocking a substance your body needs to make cholesterol.
- • Swelling in your ankles or feet
- • Dizziness
- • Flushing (redness of the face)
- • Palpitations (feeling your heart beat rapidly or irregularly)
- • Fatigue (feeling tired)
- • Headache
- • Increased liver enzyme (ALT)
- • Muscle pain
- • Upper respiratory tract infection
- • Diarrhea
- Feeling tired 15,696
- Diarrhea 14,038
- Feeling sick to your stomach 13,425
- Shortness of breath 13,222
- Feeling lightheaded or unsteady 10,671
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,008
- Feeling tired 771
- Feeling lightheaded 731
- General pain 702
- Muscle pain 669
Amlodipine may cause low blood pressure, especially if you have severe aortic stenosis. Some people with severe heart disease may experience worsening chest pain or a heart attack when starting or increasing the dose of amlodipine. If you have severe liver problems, your doctor will increase your dose slowly.
Vytorin can cause muscle problems, including myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Tell your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel sick. Vytorin can also cause liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start taking Vytorin and while you take it.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. High blood pressure during pregnancy can harm both the mother and the baby. Amlodipine passes into breast milk, but no harmful effects on the breastfed infant have been seen.
Do not take Vytorin if you are pregnant. It can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, as it is not recommended during treatment with Vytorin.
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How to Read This amlodipine vs ezetimibe/simvastatin Comparison
amlodipine is classified in the Calcium Channel Blocker drug class, while ezetimibe/simvastatin sits within the Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitor / Statin Combination class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, amlodipine has 67,052 submissions while ezetimibe/simvastatin has 3,881. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to amlodipine can cause the cholesterol medication to stay in your system longer, which increases the chance of muscle pain or weakness.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between amlodipine and ezetimibe/simvastatin - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.