My consultant recently wrote to me and advised that she wanted me to start ezetimibe as my alk phos was higher than she was comfortable with at 280. I can find nothing online about the use of this drug in PBC and don't like blindly taking things without knowing a bit more about it. I have an appointment on the 5th so can cover it then but wondered if any of you had any info or experience in the meantime?
Ezetimibe anyone? : My consultant recently... - PBC Foundation
Ezetimibe anyone?
I have taken ezetimibe for several years now. Mine is to reduce my cholesterol levels, as my liver didn’t like statins. I have had no adverse reaction to it, my cholesterol has reduced and my lfts are usually in the normal range.
I understand your reluctance to take an unknown drug - on the other hand I have to take so many pills in the course of a day that I positively rattle!
Thanks! I have found lots of info on its use for high cholesterol as that is what it is licensed for but not for PBC - good to hear you've had no adverse effects though!
I believe it is another cholesterol lowering drug that does not work through the liver.
Hello rubyrose15415.
Until recently this was new to me that some with PBC are being prescribed this ezetimibe. I did look about notso long ago for personal info as I've only ever been on the urso since daignosis Dec 2010. I've found on our patient.co.uk website this info. Apparently it was originally formulated for the use of cholesterol management as Rosehip19 has stated. But as we know a lot of medications out there are now being used for other health issues (the Questran for itching of PBC wsa originally used for something else as was our urso (gallstone dissolution), so doesn't surprise me that doctors are now adding other things for PBC management. I've popped link on if you want to have a look if you haven't found it already. I expect most of it would be in the patient info leaflet (PIL) if you got branded tablets and not generic that come in labelled pharmacy bottles (then you've to ask for a copy of the PIL.