Zetia is used to treat high cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol from food in the digestive system. Depression is one of the less common side effects, although suicidal thoughts and severe depression don't accompany Zetia as it does many other medications. Other side effects include diarrhea, joint pain and drowsiness.
Depression and Other Side Effects
Depression is a known side effect of Zetia. The most likely side effects are diarrhea, joint pain, and drowsiness. Less likely effects are depression, difficulty breathing, rashes and hives, muscle pain, stomach pain, headache and gallstones.
Incidence and Severity of Depression
While depression is not one of the more common side effects, doctors sometimes fail to determine if patients have a history of depression in their lives or in their families. These risk factors greatly increase the likelihood of Zetia triggering depression in a particular patient. Zetia does not list suicidal thoughts, hallucinations or mania as side effects. These side effects can accompany any bout of depression if the depression becomes severe enough and is left untreated.
Addition of Depression Warning
When Zetia was initially put on the market, its marketing materials and patient information did not list depression as a potential side effect. However, patient reports of depression led to further studies that revealed that depression was a side effect of Zetia. Zetia manufacturers received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in February 2008 to add depression warnings to their list of potential side effects in marketing and patient materials.
Related Medication and Risk of Depression
Vytorin, a medication that combines Zetia and simvastatin, had the depression warning added to its label at the same time that Zetia changed its marketing and label information to include depression as a potential side effect.
Effect of Label Change on Market
Both Zetia and Vytorin received heavy criticism surrounding the news that Zetia can cause depression. This news came out around the time that a study was released showing that Zetia, when combined with simvastatin, doesn't slow artery clogging better than simvastatin by itself. Stocks for both companies dipped for several months after the release of this news and then returned to their former levels.
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