Effectiveness of ezetimibe alone or in combination with twice a week Atorvastatin (10 mg) for statin intolerant high-risk patients.
| Title | Effectiveness of ezetimibe alone or in combination with twice a week Atorvastatin (10 mg) for statin intolerant high-risk patients. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2008 |
| Authors | Athyros, V. G., Tziomalos K., Kakafika A. I., Koumaras H., Karagiannis A., & Mikhailidis D. P. |
| Journal | Am J Cardiol |
| Volume | 101 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pagination | 483-5 |
| Date Published | 2008 Feb 15 |
| ISSN | 0002-9149 |
| Keywords | Anticholesteremic Agents, Atorvastatin, Azetidines, Cholesterol, LDL, Coronary Artery Disease, Creatinine, Diabetes Mellitus, Drug Administration Schedule, Drug Therapy, Combination, Ezetimibe, Female, Heptanoic Acids, Humans, Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors, Hypercholesterolemia, Male, Middle Aged, Peripheral Vascular Diseases, Prospective Studies, Pyrroles, Stroke |
| Abstract | This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of ezetimibe (10 mg/day) alone or in combination with atorvastatin (10 mg twice a week) on hypercholesterolemia in 56 high-risk patients intolerant to daily statin use. Ezetimibe monotherapy was well tolerated (2 withdrawals) and induced a mean reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol of 20% (p <0.05) at the third month. However, of the 54 patients still taking ezetimibe, only 5 (9%) were at their LDL cholesterol targets. Atorvastatin 10 mg twice a week was then added to ezetimibe and was well tolerated (3 withdrawals). This combination reduced LDL cholesterol (in a treatment-based analysis) by 37% compared with baseline (p <0.001), with 43 (84%) patients reaching their LDL cholesterol goals. When patients (n = 34, 25 men) with baseline serum creatinine values in the upper 2 tertiles were analyzed separately, there was a significant (p = 0.041) decrease in serum creatinine levels after 6 months of treatment. In conclusion, the combination of ezetimibe plus atorvastatin 10 mg twice a week might be a therapeutic option for high-risk patients intolerant to daily statin monotherapy. |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.amjcard.2007.09.096 |
| Alternate Journal | Am. J. Cardiol. |
| PubMed ID | 18312762 |
