title: Add-on ezetimibe reduces small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels without affecting absorption of eicosapentaenoic acid in patients with coronary artery disease: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Residual risk of cardiovascular disease from increased small dense low-density lipoprotein (sdLDL)-cholesterol levels and low n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels is a considerable therapeutic issue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of ezetimibe as an add-on to statins and supplemental eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on sdLDL cholesterol and absorption of EPA in patients with coronary artery disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of ten male patients who were concurrently receiving statins and EPA 1,800 mg/day. Serum lipids and PUFAs, including EPA and arachidonic acid, were measured in blood samples collected before ezetimibe (baseline), 4 weeks after starting 10-mg/day ezetimibe, and 4 weeks after discontinuing ezetimibe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ezetimibe significantly decreased sdLDL-cholesterol levels after 4 weeks of treatment (baseline 35 ± 13 mg/dl; treatment 27 ± 9 mg/dl), but the levels returned to baseline after discontinuation of ezetimibe (37 ± 13 mg/dl). The concentration of EPA did not significantly change during the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ezetimibe shows great promise as an add-on therapy to statins to reduce sdLDL-cholesterol-related residual risk of cardiovascular disease without affecting absorption of supplemental EPA in patients with coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Motoki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Tomonari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Kunihisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Kazufumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001384:Azetidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001384:Azetidines; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D000069438:Ezetimibe