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Vytorin Drug Interactions
Potential drug interactions with Vytorin that can lead to unexpected results include cyclosporine, HIV protease inhibitors, niacin, and grapefruit juice. When certain medications are taken with Vytorin, your body metabolizes the drugs differently than intended. When this happens, potentially dangerous interactions can occur, including an increased risk for developing serious muscle problems, such as myopathy or rhabdomyolysis.
Vytorin® (ezetimibe/simvastatin) can potentially interact with a number of other medicines. Some of the products that can cause drug interactions with Vytorin include:
- Amiodarone (Cordarone®, Pacerone®)
- Amlodipine (Norvasc®)
- Bile-acid sequestrant cholesterol medications, including:
- Cholestyramine (Prevalite®, Questran®, Questran® Light)
- Colesevelam (WelChol®)
- Colestipol (Colestid®)
- Certain antibiotics or antifungals, such as:
- Erythromycin (Ery-Tab®)
- Clarithromycin (Biaxin®)
- Itraconazole (Sporanox®)
- Ketoconazole (Nizoral®)
- Posaconazole (Noxafil®)
- Telithromycin (Ketek®)
- Voriconazole (VFEND®)
- Cobicistat-containing products (such as Stribild®)
- Cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®)
- Danazol (Danocrine®)
- Digoxin (Digitek®, Lanoxicaps®, Lanoxin®)
- Diltiazem (Cardizem®, Cardizem CD®, Cardizem LA®, Cartia XT®, Dilacor XR®, Dilt-CD®, Diltia XT®, Dilt-XR®, Taztia XT®, Tiazac®)
- Fibrates, such as:
- Fenofibrate (Antara™, Lofibra™, Tricor®, Triglide™)
- Gemfibrozil (Lopid®)
- Grapefruit juice and grapefruit products, including supplements.
- Lomitapide (Juxtapid®)
- Niacin (nicotinic acid, Niacor®, Nicolar®)
- Protease inhibitors, such as:
- Amprenavir (Agenerase®)
- Atazanavir (Reyataz®)
- Darunavir (Prezista™)
- Fosamprenavir (Lexiva®)
- Indinavir (Crixivan®)
- Lopinavir and ritonavir (Kaletra®)
- Nelfinavir (Viracept®)
- Ritonavir (Norvir®)
- Saquinavir (Invirase®)
- Tipranavir (Aptivus®)
- Nefazodone (Serzone®)
- Ranolazine (Ranexa®)
- Verapamil (Calan®, Calan® SR, Verelan®, Verelan® PM, Isoptin®, Covera-HS®)
- Warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®).
Some of these drug interactions may increase your risk for developing serious muscle problems (see Vytorin and Muscle Pain). If you are taking Vytorin and experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if accompanied by a fever or you feel ill, it is important to contact your healthcare provider right away.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD