What are ezetimibe (Zetia) side effects?

Signs of ezetimibe allergic reactions: trouble breathing, hives (rash on your body), swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat—If you experience any serious allergic reaction, please call 911 or seek emergency medical care at the nearest emergency room (ER).

Ezetimibe can cause myopathy/rhabdomyolysis; these are the conditions where the muscle tissue breaks down, leading to renal impairment and kidney failure. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Unusual/unexplained muscle pain, tenderness
• Weakness
• Fever
• Unusual tiredness
• Dark urine 
• Producing less urine than normal
• Nausea and vomiting 

Ezetimibe can also cause liver problems. Symptoms of liver problems include:

• Pain in your right upper stomach 
• Jaundice - yellowing of the skin and eyes

These adverse effects are more likely to happen in elderly patients because their kidneys may not work as well as they used to; this can lead to a higher level of ezetimibe in the body for a more extended period. 

Common side effects of ezetimibe:

• Cold symptoms such as sore throat, stuffy nose, sneezing 
• Diarrhea 
• Joint pain
• Dizziness
• Pain in hand or foot
• Rash
• Tiredness
• Headache 
• Stomach pain
• Muscle pain while taking ezetimibe with a statin

Ezetimibe overdose: Go to the nearest emergency room or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. You can find more information at www.poisonhelp.org/help or your local poison control center. 

One patient took an accidental overdose of 120 mg per day for 28 days with no reported adverse events in clinical studies. Symptomatic and supportive treatments are recommended in case of accidental or suspected ezetimibe overdose.  

The above list on this site may not include all the possible side effects of ezetimibe. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist at your local pharmacy if you have persistent side effects or any side effects that are not listed above. You can also report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Source: FDA