ezetimibe vs fenofibrate

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Side-by-side comparison of ezetimibe and fenofibrate. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

( 7.3 ) Fenofibrates : Combination increases exposure of ezetimibe. If cholelithiasis is suspected in a patient receiving ezetimibe and a fenofibrate, gallbladder studies are indicated and alternative lipid-lowering therapy should be considered. Fenofibrates Clinical Impact: Both ezetimibe and fenofibrates may increase cholesterol excretion into the bile, leading to cholelithiasis.

Drug Class
ezetimibe Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitor
fenofibrate Fibrate
Type
ezetimibe Prescription
fenofibrate Prescription
Summary
ezetimibe

No summary available.

fenofibrate

Fenofibrate is a medicine that helps lower bad cholesterol and fats (triglycerides) in your blood, while raising good cholesterol.

What It Treats
ezetimibe

Information not available.

fenofibrate

This medicine is used with a diet to treat high cholesterol and high levels of triglycerides (fats) in the blood. It helps adults who have primary hypercholesterolemia or mixed dyslipidemia. It can also treat adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia. However, fenofibrate has not been proven to prevent heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.

How It Works
ezetimibe

Information not available.

fenofibrate

Fenofibrate is a type of drug called a PPAR alpha agonist. It works by activating a protein in your body that helps break down fats and cholesterol. This leads to lower levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and higher levels of good cholesterol.

Common Side Effects
ezetimibe
  • Headache
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Muscle pain
  • Diarrhea
fenofibrate
  • Abnormal liver function tests
  • Increased ALT (a liver enzyme)
  • Increased AST (a liver enzyme)
  • Increased CPK (a muscle enzyme)
  • Runny nose
FAERS Reports
ezetimibe
  • Fatigue 4,663
  • Nausea 4,195
  • Myalgia 4,191
  • Diarrhoea 3,662
  • Dizziness 3,338
fenofibrate
  • Nausea 2,912
  • Fatigue 2,840
  • Diarrhoea 2,681
  • Dyspnoea 2,099
  • Headache 2,058
Serious Warnings
ezetimibe

No specific warnings noted.

fenofibrate

Fenofibrate can cause liver problems. Your doctor should check your liver function with blood tests before you start taking it and regularly while you are taking it. Stop taking fenofibrate and tell your doctor right away if you have signs of liver problems, such as yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark urine, or stomach pain. Fenofibrate can also cause muscle pain or weakness, especially if you are also taking a statin medicine. Tell your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness.

Pregnancy
ezetimibe

No pregnancy information available.

fenofibrate

It is not known if fenofibrate will harm an unborn baby. You should only use fenofibrate during pregnancy if your doctor decides that the benefit outweighs the risk. You should not breastfeed while taking fenofibrate.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

Compare fenofibrate with

How to Read This ezetimibe vs fenofibrate Comparison

ezetimibe is classified in the Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitor drug class, while fenofibrate 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 has 20,049 submissions while fenofibrate has 12,590. 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 minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both drugs increase the amount of cholesterol in your bile, which can lead to the formation of gallstones.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for ezetimibe or fenofibrate.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.