Effectiveness and tolerability of ezetimibe add-on therapy to a bile acid resin-based regimen for hypercholesterolemia

Combination lipid-reducing therapy is increasingly used, particularly for the management of severe or combined dyslipidemia in patients at high risk for coronary heart disease. To assess the potential additive effects of combining the cholesterol absorption inhibitor ezetimibe with a bile acid resin (BAR), a prospective chart review was performed of 40 patients in whom ezetimibe 10 mg/day was added to a stable regimen that included a BAR. At an average follow-up of 107 ± 57 days, ezetimibe coadministration significantly reduced total cholesterol by 18%, triglycerides by 14%, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 19% (all p ≤0.03), without significantly changing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the combination was well tolerated.