title: Half-dose ezetimibe add-on to statin therapy is effective in improving resistant hyperlipidaemia in Asian patients with ischaemic heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ezetimibe at full dose (10-mg) is used for lipid lowering. We hypothesised that ezetimibe at half dose is effective in achieving percentage improvement in lipid profile among Asian patients with severe hyperlipidaemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cohort study conducted between 2006 and 2008. 105 patients with hyperlipidaemia not reaching target level with statin treatment alone were given add-on ezetimibe 5-mg daily treatment. Lipid profiles were compared at pre- and post-ezetimibe therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 56.0 +/- 10.3 years. 79.0 percent were male and 62.9 percent had hypertension, 39 percent had diabetes mellitus with a mean HBA1c of 7.7 percent. 58.1 percent had a history of myocardial infarction. The median simvastatin equivalent dose was 40 (range 5-80) mg. Duration of ezetimibe treatment was 102 +/- 60 days. We observed improvements in total cholesterol (TC) (from 5.31 +/- 1.02 to 4.33 +/- 1.11 mmol/l, 16.4 percent reduction, p-value less than 0.0005), low density lipoprotein (LDL) (from 3.43 +/- 0.87 to 2.52 +/- 0.95 mmol/l, 24.0 percent reduction, p-value less than 0.0005) and TC to LDL ratio (from 4.92 +/-1.42 to 4.03 +/-1.16, 16.2 percent reduction, p-value less than 0.0005). The percentage improvement of lipid profile was comparable to that of the published data based on 10-mg dosing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 5-mg dose of daily ezetimibe add-on treatment is effective in improving lipid profiles in Asian patients with severe hyperlipidaemia not reaching target with statin monotherapy.
authors: National University Heart Centre, National University Hospital, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119228. ericchong80@hotmail.com
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Chong
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Shen
authors: K K
authors: KK
authors: Poh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia; D001384:Azetidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001384:Azetidines; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol; D019821:Simvastatin; D000069438:Ezetimibe