Vytorin offers no better protection than statins alone.
Vytorin is a branded medication combining Zetia and Zocor. Zocor (simvastatin) is a statin which a type of cholesterol lowering drug. Statin have long been renown for their ability to not only lower cholesterol but to prevent heart disease and stroke. Zetia inhibits a transport enzyme that bring cholesterol from food through the small intestines and into the blood stream. Zetia, when combines with a statin, had demonstated dramatic lower of LDL (bad) cholesterol. Even more dramatic LDL lowering then doubling the dose of a statin. Since it was believed that LDL lowering would lead to lower rated of heart disease and stroke, Vytorin came to market.
The ENHANCE trial was designed to see if that theory was true. In one arm of the study, patients would recieve a statin alone while in the other arm, patients would receive Vytorin. In the latest update of the ENHANCE trial, there was no difference in protection from cardiac events or stroke in the two arms of the study. So the potent cholesterol lowering ability of Zetia in combination with a statin gave no addition carioprotection. This trial does not say the Vytorin or Zetia dangerous or unsafe. Rather, that someone looking for the best protection from atherosclerosis should consider maximizing their statin therapy first.
