Guar gum and gemfibrozil--an effective combination in the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia.
Twenty-nine hypercholesterolaemic patients, treated for one year with gemfibrozil but being still hypercholesterolaemic (serum total cholesterol greater than or equal to 6.25 mmol/l) were included in a double-blind trial to evaluate the hypocholesterolaemic effects of gemfibrozil-guar gum combination (GE + GU) vs. gemfibrozil-placebo combination (GE + PL) using a cross-over study design. The patients were treated with gemfibrozil on a constant dosage (range 900-1200 mg/day) during the entire trial. After a 4-week run-in period on GE + PL treatment the patients were randomly allocated to 2 groups: one received GE + GU 15 g/day, and the other GE + PL for 3 months and after that groups were crossed over. Guar gum and placebo were administered as granules taken 3 times a day during meals. Serum total cholesterol was 8.61 +/- 0.17 mmol/l before gemfibrozil therapy, and 7.29 +/- 0.15 mmol/l at the end of the run-in period on GE + PL (P less than 0.01). During the double-blind phase serum total cholesterol values were 6.28 +/- 0.19 mmol/l at the end of the GE + GU treatment period and 7.21 +/- 0.16 mmol/l at the end of the GE + PL treatment period (P less than 0.01). At the end of the GE + GU treatment period serum total cholesterol was 27% lower and LDL-cholesterol 39% lower than before gemfibrozil treatment. A marked improvement (23%) was found in HDL/LDL ratio during GE + GU treatment compared with GE + PL treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Tuomilehto
J
J
National Public Health Institute, Department of Epidemiology, Helsinki, Finland.
Silvasti
M
M
Manninen
V
V
Uusitupa
M
M
Aro
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005685:Galactans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015248:Gemfibrozil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D053149:Plant Gums; D011897:Random Allocation
D005685:Galactans; D008351:Mannans; D053149:Plant Gums; D002784:Cholesterol; C007894:guar gum; D015248:Gemfibrozil