title: Hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors as monotherapy in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.
abstract: A variety of double-blind studies have compared the efficacy of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (lovastatin and simvastatin) with that of control agents (cholestyramine, fibrates and probucol) in patients with type IIA or IIB primary hypercholesterolemia. Results have shown that both lovastatin and simvastatin are more effective than the standard therapies with regard to reducing total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Decreases in triglycerides and increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were generally greater with fibrates. Ongoing studies are assessing the benefits of lovastatin and simvastatin in reducing the incidence of mortality from coronary artery disease, as well as causing regression of coronary atheroma.
authors.affiliation: Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, Rahway, New Jersey.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Shapiro
mesh_terms: D001629:Bezafibrate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015248:Gemfibrozil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011341:Probucol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D019821:Simvastatin
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D008148:Lovastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D011341:Probucol; D015248:Gemfibrozil; D001629:Bezafibrate