Efficacy of combination drug pulse therapy in maintaining lipid levels in patients intolerant of daily statin use.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combination drug pulse therapy in maintaining lipid levels in patients intolerant of a daily dose of statins. Twenty-three patients, previously receiving aggressive statin therapy, were treated twice weekly with rosuvastatin or atorvastatin in different dosages along with ezetimibe as well as daily doses of bile acid sequestrant for a mean period of 4.5 months. The recommended National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III goals had already been achieved in 78% of patients (n=18) before starting combination pulse therapy. This combination therapy significantly increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values by 5.82% (t=2.138, P=.044), while the increases in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, and apolipoprotein B levels compared with baseline were not statistically significant. Overall, 3 of 23 patients (13%) discontinued the combination therapy because of muscle-related symptoms over a mean course of 4.5 months of treatment.
Reddy
Kota J
KJ
Reddy Cardiac Wellness Sugar Land, 3519 Town Center Boulevard, Sugarland, TX 77479, USA. jrbangit@yahoo.com
Singh
Manmeet
M
Batsell
Richard R
RR
Bangit
Joey R
JR
Zaheer
Misbah S
MS
John
Shirley
S
Varghese
Shajan
S
Molinella
Ronald
R
D000499:Allylamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000187:drug effects; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D001384:Azetidines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D000069472:Colesevelam Hydrochloride; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D001384:Azetidines; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011758:Pyrroles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000499:Allylamine; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D000069472:Colesevelam Hydrochloride