title: Role of bile acid sequestrants in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
abstract: Cholestyramine is a first-generation bile acid sequestrant (BAS) and antihyperlipidemic agent that currently has limited use because of its relatively weak effect on lowering low density-lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (C) and poor tolerability. The current first choice drugs for hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia are 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) because of their strong LDL-C lowering effects and efficacy in prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, after lowering the target levels of LDL-C in very high risk patients, combination therapy with statins and other antihyperlipidemic drugs may become more important for treatment of hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia. Second-generation BASs such as colesevelam and colestimide have a glucose-lowering effect and improved tolerance, which has led to re-evaluation of their utility in combination with statins or antidiabetic agents.
authors.affiliation: Kohzo Takebayashi, Yoshimasa Aso, Toshihiko Inukai, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital, Koshigaya 343-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohzo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takebayashi
authors.forename: Yoshimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aso
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inukai