Like all medicines, ezetimibe can cause side effects in some people, although not everyone gets them.
Common side effects
These common side effects of ezetimibe happen to more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Stomach (abdominal) pain
Try to rest and relax. It can help to eat and drink slowly and have smaller and more frequent meals. Putting a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your stomach may also help. If you're in a lot of pain, speak to a pharmacist or doctor.
Diarrhoea
Drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Speak to a pharmacist if you have signs of dehydration such as peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
If you take the combined contraceptive pill or the progestogen-only pill and you have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.
Farting more than usual
Try to not eat too many foods that cause wind (such as lentils, peas, beans and onions). Eat smaller meals, eat and drink slowly, and exercise regularly. There are pharmacy medicines that may also help, such as charcoal tablets or simeticone, so speak to a pharmacist. Peppermint tea may also help.
Feeling more tired than usual
Try to relax when possible and avoid intense exercise to see if that helps. If these symptoms do not go away after 1 to 2 weeks, ask a pharmacist or doctor for advice.
Keep taking the medicine, but talk to a doctor if the advice on how to cope does not help and these side effects bother you or do not go away.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects are not common and happen in less than 1 in 10,000 people.
Tell a doctor or call 111 straight away if you get:
- muscle pain, tenderness, weakness or cramps
- yellowing of the whites of your eyes or your skin (this may be less obvious on brown or black skin), pale poo and dark pee – this can be a sign of liver problems
- severe stomach pain (just under your ribs) – this can be a sign of pancreas problems
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, ezetimibe may cause a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Do not drive yourself to A&E.
The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of ezetimibe. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.
Reporting side effects
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.
Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.