Ezetrol Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Pregnancy: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of EZETROL in pregnant women. EZETROL should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the risk to the fetus.
In oral (gavage) embryo-fetal development studies of ezetimibe conducted in rats and rabbits during organogenesis, there was no evidence of embryolethal effects at the doses tested (250, 500, 1000 mg/kg/day). In rats, increased incidences of common fetal skeletal findings (extra pair of thoracic ribs, unossified cervical vertebral centra, shortened ribs) were observed at 1000 mg/kg/day (~10 times the human exposure at 10 mg daily based on AUC_0-24hr for total ezetimibe). In rabbits treated with ezetimibe, an increased incidence of extra thoracic ribs was observed at 1000 mg/kg/day (150 times the human exposure at 10 mg daily based on AUC_0-24hr for total ezetimibe). Ezetimibe crossed the placenta when pregnant rats and rabbits were given multiple oral doses.
Multiple dose studies of ezetimibe given in combination with statins in rats and rabbits during organogenesis result in higher ezetimibe and statin exposures. Reproductive findings occur at lower doses in combination therapy compared to monotherapy.
When EZETROL is to be administered with a statin, refer to the Package Insert for that particular statin.
Nursing Mothers: Studies in rats have shown that ezetimibe is excreted in milk. It is not known whether ezetimibe is excreted into human breast milk, therefore, EZETROL should not be used in nursing mothers unless the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the infant.