Ezetimibe and ezetimibe/simvastatin for treating primary hypercholesterolaemia

Cardiovascular

2 May 2019

Published on 02 May 2019
Last Updated on 02 May 2019

Guidance Recommendations

The Ministry of Health's Drug Advisory Committee has recommended:

Ezetimibe 10 mg tablet for treating primary (heterozygous familial and non-familial) hypercholesterolaemia in adults as:
- Add-on therapy to statins when the cholesterol concentration therapeutic target is not achieved at the maximum tolerated statin dose; or
- Monotherapy as an alternative to statins for adults who are intolerant of, or contraindicated to, statin therapy.

Intolerance to statin therapy is defined as the occurrence of clinically significant adverse effects that are an unacceptable risk to the patient.

Ezetimibe 10 mg tablet is recommended for inclusion on the MOH Standard Drug List (SDL) for the abovementioned indications.

SDL subsidy does not apply to ezetimibe/simvastatin 10/10 mg or 10/20 mg tablets.