What are the common ezetimibe side effects?

What side effects do people report most often with ezetimibe?
Ezetimibe is taken alone or combined with a statin to lower cholesterol. Common complaints include muscle aches, diarrhea, and upper respiratory tract infections.

How frequent are these complaints?
In clinical studies, muscle pain occurred in roughly 5% of patients, diarrhea in 4%, and sinusitis in 4%. Upper respiratory infections reached 4% as well.

What happens if you take ezetimibe with a statin?
When combined with a statin, rates of muscle pain and liver enzyme elevations rise. Patients taking the pair may need regular blood tests to check liver function.

Can ezetimibe cause serious liver problems?
Liver enzyme increases appear in clinical trials but are rarely severe. Patients with active liver disease should avoid the drug.

What other symptoms should you watch for?
Fatigue, abdominal pain, and back pain surface in some reports. Any unexplained muscle weakness warrants prompt medical attention.

When does ezetimibe come off patent?
The main U.S. patent for ezetimibe expired in 2016. Generic versions have been available for years.