Ezetimibe-Atorvastatin Coupons & Prices

An ezetimibe-atorvastatin coupon from Rx.com can lower what you pay at the pharmacy counter for this two-in-one cholesterol tablet, which combines ezetimibe (a cholesterol absorption inhibitor) with atorvastatin (a statin) in a single once-daily pill. An ANDA-approved generic of ezetimibe and atorvastatin calcium is marketed in the U.S., but unlike the two ingredients bought separately, this fixed-dose combination tablet is not a cheap prescription for most cash-paying patients, and the price swings a great deal from one pharmacy to the next, even between stores on the same street. Enter your ZIP code above to compare today's price across more than 60,000 pharmacies and print, text, or show your free Rx.com coupon at the counter.

What is ezetimibe-atorvastatin and how does it work?

Ezetimibe-atorvastatin is a fixed-dose combination lipid-lowering tablet. The two ingredients lower cholesterol in different ways, which is why they are packaged together. Ezetimibe blocks the NPC1L1 transporter in the small intestine, so your body absorbs less cholesterol from the food you eat. Atorvastatin is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, better known as a statin, and it reduces the amount of cholesterol your liver makes. Together they lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol more than either one alone.

It is FDA approved as an add-on to diet to reduce total cholesterol, LDL-C, apolipoprotein B, triglycerides, and non-HDL-C in adults with primary hyperlipidemia (including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia) or mixed hyperlipidemia. It is also approved to reduce total cholesterol and LDL-C in people with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, used along with other treatments such as LDL apheresis or when those treatments are not available. The tablets come in 10/10, 10/20, 10/40, and 10/80 mg strengths and are taken once a day. It is not a controlled substance.

Ezetimibe-atorvastatin cost and coupons without insurance

It is easy to assume this tablet is cheap because both of its ingredients have been generic for years, but that is not how the combination is priced. Atorvastatin and ezetimibe are inexpensive when you fill them as two separate prescriptions. The fixed-dose combination tablet is a limited-competition product, and its cash price is far higher than the price of the two ingredients bought separately. Cash prices also differ widely between a big chain, a grocery-store pharmacy, and an independent, because each pharmacy sets its own retail price. Comparing before you fill, and asking your prescriber whether the two separate pills would work just as well for you, are the two biggest things you can do to lower the bill.

Rx.com compares cash prices at more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies and gives you a free discount coupon you can use even if you have no insurance, or if your plan's copay or deductible makes the cash price the better deal (you cannot combine a discount coupon with insurance on the same fill, but you can choose whichever is cheaper). Manufacturer copay and savings programs change often, so if you want to know whether one exists for the version you are prescribed, check the manufacturer's website or ask your pharmacist. Brand history is limited here: the combination sold today as Lypqozet, from Althera Pharmaceuticals, is a branded generic approved under an ANDA rather than a brand-name drug, and the original Merck brand, Liptruzet, was discontinued in the U.S. in 2015 for business reasons, not because of a safety or effectiveness problem. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price near you.

How it compares to other cholesterol medicines

The combination tablet is essentially the same two medicines many people already take as separate pills. Filling it as one prescription can be simpler, but filling the ingredients separately is often much cheaper, so it is worth pricing both ways before you decide with your prescriber:

• Atorvastatin (brand Lipitor) taken alone, at whatever dose your doctor chooses.
• Ezetimibe (brand Zetia) taken alone or alongside a separate statin tablet.
• Vytorin, a different fixed-dose combination that pairs ezetimibe with simvastatin instead of atorvastatin.
• Other statins your prescriber may consider, such as rosuvastatin (brand Crestor) or pravastatin.

Adding ezetimibe to a statin is a common strategy when a statin alone does not bring LDL-C to goal. The IMPROVE-IT trial, which studied ezetimibe added to simvastatin (not atorvastatin) after an acute coronary syndrome, is the main outcomes evidence behind that strategy. Keep in mind that reducing cardiovascular events is not an approved indication of this fixed-dose combination itself, and the combination tablet was not the product tested in that trial. Which approach fits you is a decision for you and your clinician.

Safety, side effects, and interactions

Ezetimibe-atorvastatin has no boxed warning, but the U.S. label for the marketed product does list several contraindications. It should not be used by anyone with active liver disease or unexplained persistent elevations of liver transaminases, or by anyone hypersensitive to ezetimibe, atorvastatin, or any other component of the tablet. The label also contraindicates it in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant and in nursing mothers, so tell your prescriber right away if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding. The most commonly reported side effects include muscle aches, diarrhea, upper respiratory infections, joint pain, nasopharyngitis, and elevated liver enzymes.

The warnings worth knowing: muscle problems (myopathy, and rarely the serious muscle breakdown called rhabdomyolysis) are more likely at higher atorvastatin doses and in people over 65, or with hypothyroidism or kidney impairment. Call your doctor about any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. A rare immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy can cause weakness that persists even after the statin is stopped. Liver enzymes should be checked before you start and afterward as your doctor advises. Statins can also raise HbA1c and fasting glucose. Several drugs raise your risk of muscle injury with this combination, including strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (clarithromycin, itraconazole, some HIV and hepatitis C protease inhibitors), cyclosporine, gemfibrozil and other fibrates such as fenofibrate, lipid-lowering doses of niacin, and colchicine; large amounts of grapefruit juice also increase atorvastatin levels. Share your full medication list with your pharmacist. This information is not medical advice, so talk with your healthcare provider about what is right for you.