title: Dual bezafibrate-simvastatin therapy for combined hyperlipidaemia.
abstract: Statins and fibrates are both effective in the treatment of hyperlipidaemias but are not recommended in combination because episodes of rhabdomyolysis have followed combined lovastatin-gemfibrozil therapy. We assessed treatment with dual bezafibrate-simvastatin therapy in routine clinical practice. In 22 patients, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides fell by 20.1% (P < 0.0001), 35.1% (P < 0.001) and 31% (P < 0.05) respectively, and HDL-cholesterol rose by 18.4% (P < 0.05) on combination therapy. The reduction in cholesterol followed the introduction of simvastatin, while the decrease in triglycerides followed treatment with bezafibrate. No patient developed myopathy. We conclude that dual simvastatin-bezafibrate therapy is well tolerated and may reduce triglyceride concentrations, but offers no advantage in cholesterol reduction over treatment with simvastatin alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green East, U.K.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hutchesson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001629:Bezafibrate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019821:Simvastatin; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D001629:Bezafibrate