Born under a Bad Sign
I’m not an astrologist, but sometimes you have to wonder whether plans were hatched under a bad sign. It certainly seems that way for “Vytorin,” a cholesterol-lowering drug that combines simvastatin and “Zetia.” The drug, introduced by Merck and Schering-Plough, has suffered damaging revelations.
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration announced it was investigating a possible link between Vytorin and an increased incidence of cancer. The investigation was prompted by the results of the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis trial, which showed that 4.1% of patients treated with Vytorin were diagnosed with and died from cancer, as opposed to 2.5% of those treated with a placebo.
As frightening as these results are, I’m not sure there’s immediate cause for alarm. As FDA noted, two large, ongoing trials of Vytorin (the Study of Heart and Renal Protection and the Improved Reduction in High-Risk Subjects Presenting with Acute Coronary Syndrome) show no increased risk of cancer at all. In fact, most large studies of statin drugs in general have not found evidence that they increase the risk of cancer.
What’s more damning is the evidence from the Enhance trial that Vytorin is no more effective than simvastatin alone. Efficacy ought to be a patient or doctor’s first criterion for deciding whether to take a drug. If a generic drug will help me just as much as a new branded therapy, I’ll opt for the generic. For me, this is an even better reason not to worry about Vytorin’s potential side effects.
“…including evidence that it can cause blockage in the carotid artery.” Erik, you might wish to actually read the clincial trial before making a statement such as this. If you had, you would know that this statement is completely misleading and false. The ENHANCE study compared 40mg of simvastatin to 40mg simvastatin/10mg ezetimibe and showed there was no additional clearing of the carotid artery as a result of the combo vs. simvaststin alone. A BIG difference from the statement you have made above. You might wish to check your facts before publishing junk.
The remark about Vytorin potentially causing blockage in the carotid artery was not based on the Enhance trial’s results, but on an Associated Content article. I couldn’t find a separate source that repeated or explained the basis for that claim, so I struck the remark from my post. Thanks for keeping me honest.