title: Colesevelam hydrochloride: reducing atherosclerotic coronary heart disease risk factors.
abstract: Colesevelam HCl is a bile acid sequestrant (BAS) which has been specifically designed with a unique structure for the purpose of improving tolerability and reducing potential drug interactions compared to older BAS, such as cholestyramine and colestipol. As a class, BAS are known to reduce cholesterol and glucose levels, and to reduce atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (CHD) risk as monotherapy, and in combination with other lipid-altering drug therapies. Colesevelam HCl has specifically been shown to reduce total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, and has been approved as a cholesterol-lowering drug since year 2000. It has also been shown to reduce glucose levels. This discussion reviews mechanisms by which BAS lower cholesterol, and potential mechanisms by which BAS lower glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Finally this paper specifically reviews colesevelam HCl's pharmacology, lipid and glucose efficacy, safety/tolerability, and clinical use.
authors: L-MARC Research Center, 3288 Illinois Avenue, Louisville, KY 40213, USA. hbaysmd@aol.com
authors: Harold
authors: H
authors: Bays
authors: Peter H
authors: PH
authors: Jones
mesh_terms: D000499:Allylamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D000069472:Colesevelam Hydrochloride; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D000499:Allylamine; D000069472:Colesevelam Hydrochloride