| Drug Treatments: Fibrates and Probucol | |
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Although used less frequently than other cholesterol-lowering medications, there are times when other drug treatments, such as fibrates or probucol, may be appropriate.
Fibrates
The cholesterol-lowering drugs called fibrates are primarily effective in lowering triglycerides and, to a lesser extent, increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
Medications in this class include:
Fibrates are generally not considered first or even second-choice drugs for lowering cholesterol, because they are not very effective at lowering LDL cholesterol. They are used when help is needed to bring down triglycerides, often in combination with other cholesterol-lowering medications that do lower LDL cholesterol.
Fibrates have shown a 20% to 50% reduction in triglycerides and a 10% to 15% increase in HDL cholesterol.
The most common side effects include gastrointestinal complaints (including stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and constipation) and an increased risk of developing gallstones.
Fibrates can increase the effect of medications that thin the blood (such as warfarin). Your physician should monitor this closely, as well as your liver function, which may be affected by fibrates.
When fibrates are taken together with statins, it increases the likelihood of muscle tissue breakdown and kidney failure. The safety and effectiveness of fibrates in children is not known.
Probucol
This medication lowers LDL-cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, it also lowers the beneficial HDL levels. It is generally only used for certain genetic disorders (called familial hypercholesterolemias) or when other cholesterol-lowering drugs are ineffective or cannot be used. Common side effects include gastrointestinal discomforts such as diarrhea, bloating, nausea, and dizziness.
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