For people at risk of heart disease, adding a drug called ezetimibe to their cholesterol medicine might lower bad cholesterol more than just increasing the dose of their current pill — and more people hit their cholesterol goals — but it doesn’t seem to change the risk of heart attacks or side effects.

For people with high cholesterol and a high risk of heart disease, taking ezetimibe with a statin doesn’t prevent death, heart attacks, chest pain, or strokes better than just taking a higher dose of the statin—even though it improves cholesterol numbers more.

For people at very high risk of heart problems, taking cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins plus another drug called ezetimibe lowers bad cholesterol more than taking statins alone — by about 13 points on average — and helps them hit their cholesterol targets better.

For people with heart disease from clogged arteries, taking a moderate statin plus a drug called ezetimibe might lower cholesterol and triglycerides more than taking a strong statin alone.

For people with heart disease, taking a combo of two cholesterol drugs (ezetimibe plus a mid-strength statin) works about as well as a strong statin alone at lowering bad cholesterol, helps more people stay on the treatment, and might be easier on the body.

For people with heart disease caused by clogged arteries, taking a moderate-strength cholesterol drug plus another pill called ezetimibe lowers bad cholesterol more than taking a strong cholesterol pill alone — just a little, but it's a real difference.