Lipitor (also known as atorvastatin) is a member of a group of drugs called statins. All of the statins including Mevacor, Zocor, Pravachol, Crestor, and Lescol work by blocking the activity of an enzyme involved in the production of cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol ("bad cholesterol"). The result is lower blood levels of LDL and total cholesterol. In addition, statins tend to raise the blood level of good cholesterol (called HDL cholesterol). Zetia (also known as ezetimibe) works in a different way to improve the cholesterol profile. Zetia blocks the intestinal absorption of cholesterol from the food we eat, so less cholesterol enters the blood stream.
A 10 mg dose of Zetia will reduce total blood cholesterol by about 10-15 percent at a cost of about $2.40 a day. In contrast, a 10-mg dose of Lipitor will reduce the total blood cholesterol by about 25-30 percent and will cost about $2.10 a day. Zetia is sometimes used to lower cholesterol in people who cannot take one of the statin drugs. Zetia may be combined with one of the statin drugs when the goal cholesterol level is not achieved with the statin alone.
