title: Safety and efficacy of ezetimibe: A meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The addition of ezetimibe to statin therapy has been widely demonstrated to significantly reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. However, the efficacy of ezetimibe in reducing CV events and its safety has been less investigated. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to report efficacy and safety of ezetimibe from randomized clinical trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized clinical trials with a follow-up of at least 24 weeks, enrolling more than 200 patients, comparing ezetimibe versus placebo or ezetimibe plus another hypolipidemic agent versus the same hypolipidemic drug alone and reporting at least one event among all-cause and CV mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and new onset of cancer were included in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  7 trials enrolling 31,048 patients (median follow-up 34.1 ± 26.3 months; 70% women; mean age 61 ± 8 years) were included in the analysis. Compared to control therapy, ezetimibe significantly reduced the risk of MI by 13.5% (RR: 0.865, 95% CI: 0.801 to 0.934, p<0.001) and the risk of any stroke by 16.0% (RR: 0.840, 95% CI: 0.744 to 0.949, p=0.005), without any effect on all-cause and CV mortality (RR: 1.003, 95% CI: 0.954 to 1.055, p=0.908; RR: 0.958, 95% CI: 0.879 to 1.044, p=0.330; respectively) and risk of new cancer (RR: 1.040, 95% CI: 0.965 to 1.120, p=0.303).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ezetimibe significantly reduces the risk of MI and stroke without any effect on all-cause and CV mortality and risk of cancer.
authors: Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors: Gianluigi
authors: G
authors: Savarese
authors: Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors: Gaetano M
authors: GM
authors: De Ferrari
authors: Centre for Clinical and Basic Research, Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy; Cardiovascular and Cell Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Giuseppe M C
authors: GM
authors: Rosano
authors: Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: fpperron@unina.it.
authors: Pasquale
authors: P
authors: Perrone-Filardi
mesh_terms: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D000069438:Ezetimibe / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D000069438:Ezetimibe
keywords: Cardiovascular events; Cholesterol; Ezetimibe; Mortality; Statins