Study raises new questions about Merck pill Zetia

ORLANDO, Florida (AP): A new study raises fresh concerns about Zetia and its cousin, Vytorin - drugs that are still taken by millions of people to lower cholesterol, despite questions raised last year about how well they work.

In the study, Zetia, the brand name for ezetimibe, failed to shrink buildups in artery walls while a rival drug, Niaspan, generically known as niacin, did so significantly. Zetia users also suffered more heart attacks and other problems although the numbers of these events are too small to draw firm conclusions.