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Ezetimibe 10 mg Tablets

Active Ingredient:
ezetimibe
Company:  
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Ltd See contact details
ATC code: 
C10AX09
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About Medicine
The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is the leaflet included in the pack with a medicine.
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Last updated on emc: 31 Jan 2024

Below is a text only representation of the Patient Information Leaflet (ePIL).

The text only version may be available in large print, Braille or audio CD. For further information call emc accessibility on {phone} 0800 198 5000. The product code(s) for this leaflet is: PL 25258/0157.

Ezetimibe 10 mg Tablets

Package leaflet: Information for the user

Ezetimibe 10 mg Tablets

Ezetimibe

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
  • Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
  • If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
  • This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
  • If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

What is in this leaflet

1. What Ezetimibe is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Ezetimibe
3. How to take Ezetimibe
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Ezetimibe
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Ezetimibe is and what it is used for

Ezetimibe is a medicine to lower increased levels of cholesterol.

Ezetimibe lowers levels of total cholesterol, "bad" cholesterol (LDL cholesterol), and fatty substances called triglycerides in the blood. In addition, Ezetimibe raises levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL cholesterol).

Ezetimibe, the active ingredient of Ezetimibe tablets, works by reducing the cholesterol absorbed in your digestive tract.

Ezetimibe adds to the cholesterol-lowering effect of statins, a group of medicines that reduce the cholesterol your body makes by itself.

Cholesterol is one of several fatty substances found in the bloodstream. Your total cholesterol is made up mainly of LDL and HDL cholesterol.

LDL cholesterol is often called “bad” cholesterol because it can build up in the walls of your arteries forming plaque. Eventually this plaque build-up can lead to a narrowing of the arteries. This narrowing can slow or block blood flow to vital organs such as the heart and brain. This blocking of blood flow can result in a heart attack or stroke.

HDL cholesterol is often called “good” cholesterol because it helps keep the bad cholesterol from building up in the arteries and protects against heart disease.

Triglycerides are another form of fat in your blood that may increase your risk for heart disease.

Ezetimibe is used for patients who cannot control their cholesterol levels by cholesterol lowering diet alone. You should stay on your cholesterol lowering diet while taking this medicine.

Ezetimibe is used in addition to your cholesterol lowering diet if you have:
  • a raised cholesterol level in your blood (primary hypercholesterolaemia [heterozygous familial and non-familial]).
    • together with a statin, when your cholesterol level is not well controlled with a statin alone
    • alone, when statin treatment is inappropriate or is not tolerated
  • a hereditary illness (homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia) that increases the cholesterol level in your blood. You will also be prescribed a statin and may also receive other treatments
  • a hereditary illness that increases the levels of plant sterols in your blood (known as homozygous sitosterolaemia or phytosterolaemia).
  • If you have heart disease, Ezetimibe combined with cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, surgery to increase heart blood flow, or hospitalisation for chest pain.

Ezetimibe does not help you lose weight.

2. What you need to know before you take Ezetimibe

If you use Ezetimibe together with a statin, please read the package leaflet of that particular medicine.

Do not take Ezetimibe:
  • if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to ezetimibe or to any of the other ingredients of Ezetimibe (see section 6:Content of the pack and other information),

Do not take Ezetimibe together with a statin:
  • if you currently have liver problems
  • if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Ezetimibe

  • Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including allergies.
  • Your doctor should do a blood test before you start taking Ezetimibe with a statin. This is to check how well your liver is working.
  • Your doctor may also want you to have blood tests to check how well your liver is working after you start taking Ezetimibe with a statin.

If you have moderate or severe liver problems, Ezetimibe is not recommended.

The safety and efficacy of the combined use of Ezetimibe and certain cholesterol lowering medicines, the fibrates have not been established.

Children and adolescents

Do not give this medicine to children and adolescents (6 to 17 years of age) unless prescribed by a specialist because there are limited data on safety and efficacy. Do not give this medicine to children less than 6 years old because there is no information in this age group.

Other medicines and Ezetimibe

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.

In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking medicine(s) with any of the following active ingredients:

  • ciclosporin (often used in organ transplant patients)
  • medicines with an active ingredient to prevent blood clots, such as warfarin, phenprocoumon, acenocoumarol or fluindione (anticoagulants)
  • colestyramine (also used to lower cholesterol), because it affects the way ezetimibe works
  • fibrates (also used to lower cholesterol)

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Do not take Ezetimibe with a statin if you are pregnant, are trying to get pregnant or think you may be pregnant. If you get pregnant while taking Ezetimibe with a statin, stop taking both medicines immediately and tell your doctor.

There is no experience from the use of Ezetimibe without a statin during pregnancy. Ask your doctor for advice before using Ezetimibe if you are pregnant.

Do not take Ezetimibe with a statin if you are breast-feeding, because it is not known if the medicines are passed into breast milk.

Ezetimibe without a statin should not be used if you are breast-feeding. Ask your doctor for advice.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.

Driving and using machines

Ezetimibe is not expected to interfere with your ability to drive or to use machinery. However, it should be taken into account that some people may get dizzy after taking Ezetimibe.

Ezetimibe contains lactose

Ezetimibe tablets contain a sugar called lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.

Ezetimibe contains sodium

This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet that is to say essentially sodium-free.

3. How to take Ezetimibe

Always take Ezetimibe exactly as your doctor has told you. Continue taking your other cholesterol-lowering medicines unless your doctor tells you to stop. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

  • Before starting Ezetimibe, you should be on a diet to lower your cholesterol.
  • You should keep on this cholesterol lowering diet whilst taking Ezetimibe.

The recommended dose is one Ezetimibe 10 mg Tablet by mouth once a day.

Take Ezetimibe at any time of the day. You can take it with or without food.

If your doctor has prescribed Ezetimibe along with a statin, both medicines can be taken at the same time. In this case, please read the dosage instructions in the package leaflet of that particular medicine.

If your doctor has prescribed Ezetimibe along with any medicine containing colestyramine or any other medicine containing the bile acid sequestrant , you should take Ezetimibe at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after taking the bile acid sequestrant .

If you take more Ezetimibe than you should

Please contact your doctor or pharmacist.

If you forget to take Ezetimibe

Do not double dose to make up for a forgotten tablet, just take your normal amount of Ezetimibe at the usual time the next day.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

If you stop taking Ezetimibe

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist because your cholesterol may rise again.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. This is because on rare occasions, muscle problems, including muscle breakdown resulting in kidney damage, can be serious and may become a potentially life-threatening condition.

Allergic reactions, including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing (which requires treatment right away) have been reported in general use.

When used alone, the following side effects were reported :

Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

  • abdominal pain
  • diarrhoea
  • flatulence
  • feeling tired

Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

  • elevations in some laboratory blood tests of liver (transaminases) or muscle (CK) function
  • cough
  • indigestion
  • heartburn
  • nausea
  • joint pain
  • muscle spasms
  • neck pain
  • decreased appetite
  • pain
  • chest pain
  • hot flush
  • high blood pressure

Additionally, when used with a statin, the following side effects were reported:

Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

  • elevations in some laboratory blood tests of liver function (transaminases)
  • headache
  • muscle pain
  • tenderness
  • weakness

Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

  • tingling sensation
  • dry mouth
  • itching
  • rash
  • hives
  • back pain
  • muscle weakness
  • pain in arms and legs
  • unusual tiredness or weakness
  • swelling, especially in the hands and feet

When used with fenofibrate, the following side effect was reported:

Common side effect (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

  • abdominal pain.

Additionally, the following side effects have been reported in general use: dizziness; muscle aches; liver problems; allergic reactions including rash and hives; raised red rash, sometimes with target shaped lesions (erythema multiforme); muscle pain, tenderness or weakness; muscle breakdown; gallstones or inflammation of the gallbladder (which may cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting); inflammation of the pancreas often with severe abdominal pain; constipation; reduction in blood cell counts, which may cause bruising/bleeding (thrombocytopaenia); tingling sensation; depression; unusual tiredness or weakness; shortness of breath.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.

You can also report side effects directly via:

Yellow Card Scheme
Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard

or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store

By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Ezetimibe
  • Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
  • Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the labelling after “EXP.” The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
  • This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
  • For bottle packs only: use within 200 days after first opening of the bottle

Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Ezetimibe contains

The active substance is ezetimibe. Each tablet contains 10 mg ezetimibe.

The other ingredients are:

lactose monohydrate; sodium lauryl sulphate, croscarmellose sodium, povidone K-30 and magnesium stearate.

What Ezetimibe looks like and contents of the pack

Ezetimibe tablets are white to off-white, capsule shaped, approximately 8.0 x 4.0 x 2.6 mm in size, flat, beveled edged uncoated tablets engraved with ‘G’ on one side and “44” on the other side.

Ezetimibe 10 mg tablets are available in PVC/Aclar- aluminium foil blisters of 14, 28, 30, 50, 90, 98 and 100 tablets and HDPE bottles of 100 tablets.

*Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorisation Holder

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Limited
Laxmi House
2B Draycott Avenue
Kenton
Middlesex
HA3 0BU
United Kingdom

Manufacturer

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Limited
Building 2
Croxley Green Business Park
Croxley Green
Hertfordshire
WD18 8YA
United Kingdom

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals s.r.o.
Fibichova 143
566 17 Vysoké Mýto
Czech Republic

Pharmadox Healthcare Ltd.
KW20A Kordin Industrial Park
Paola PLA3000
MALTA

Orion Corporation Orion Pharma
Orionintie 1
FI-02200 Espoo
Finland

Glenmark Arzneimittel GmbH
Industriestr. 31
82194 Gröbenzell
Germany

This leaflet was last revised in 01/2024.

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Ltd
Company image
Address
Building 2, Croxley Park, Watford, WD18 8YA
Telephone
+44 (0)1923 202 950
Fax
+44 (0)1923 251137
Medical Information Direct Line
0800 458 0383
Stock Availability
+44 (0)1923 202 950