ezetimibe/simvastatin vs gemfibrozil
Side-by-side comparison of ezetimibe/simvastatin and gemfibrozil. 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
Cyclosporine, Danazol, or Gemfibrozil Clinical Impact: The risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis is increased with concomitant use of cyclosporine, danazol, or gemfibrozil with VYTORIN. Gemfibrozil may cause myopathy when given alone. Intervention: Concomitant use of cyclosporine, danazol, or gemfibrozil with VYTORIN is contraindicated [see Contraindications (4) ] .
Recommendation: You should not take these two medications together.
Vytorin
Lopid
Vytorin is a combination medicine that contains ezetimibe and simvastatin. It helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) in your blood.
Gemfibrozil is a medicine that helps lower high triglyceride levels in your blood. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease in some people.
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.
This medicine is used to treat very high triglyceride levels in adults when diet alone doesn't work. High triglycerides can increase your risk of pancreatitis. Gemfibrozil can also lower the risk of heart disease in some people with specific cholesterol problems.
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.
Gemfibrozil belongs to a class of drugs called fibrates. It works by decreasing the amount of triglycerides your body makes. It also helps to increase HDL (good) cholesterol.
- • Headache
- • Increased liver enzyme (ALT)
- • Muscle pain
- • Upper respiratory tract infection
- • Diarrhea
- • Upset stomach
- • Indigestion
- • Abdominal pain
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,008
- Feeling tired 771
- Feeling lightheaded 731
- General pain 702
- Muscle pain 669
- Feeling sick to your stomach 882
- Feeling tired 826
- Loose stools 726
- Aches 692
- Feeling lightheaded 617
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.
This medicine may increase your risk of gallbladder problems, including the need for surgery. Before taking gemfibrozil, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. You should not take this medicine with simvastatin, repaglinide, dasabuvir, or selexipag.
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.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if gemfibrozil can harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if gemfibrozil passes into breast milk.
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How to Read This ezetimibe/simvastatin vs gemfibrozil Comparison
ezetimibe/simvastatin is classified in the Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitor / Statin Combination drug class, while gemfibrozil sits within the Fibrate 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, ezetimibe/simvastatin has 3,881 submissions while gemfibrozil has 3,743. 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 both of these medications can cause muscle problems on their own, and using them together significantly increases the risk of severe muscle breakdown.. 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 ezetimibe/simvastatin and gemfibrozil - 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.