Statin Brand Names

*Pitavastatin is not approved for use in the United States. It is used in eastern Asia countries and there is a good chance that it will eventually find use in the United States also.

There is also Vytorin which is a combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe. Ezetimibe is not a statin, but a drug that inhibits absorption of cholesterol in the digestive system. Merck sells Vytorin and has been promoting it since the patent on Zocor expired.

A 2008 study showed that the Vytorin was no better than simvastatin (Zocor) alone in preventing the build-up of plaque on blood vessels. Zetia lowers serum LDL but does not increase HDL or reduce inflammation the way statins do. The study raises the question of what kind of cholesterol control is useful.

A recent study showed that Ezetimibe combined with Rosuvastatin reduced cholesterol levels even more - indeed the biggest reduction ever found in a serious study. Ezetimibe is marketed by Merck and Schering-Plough under the name Zetia, and outside the United States under the name Ezetrol.

Niacin is also used to treat cholesterol but it is not a statin drug.