title: [Ezetimibe in clinical practice: from laboratory investigations to the IMPROVE-IT trial results].
abstract: The impact of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels on cardiovascular risk has been extensively studied. Statins have been demonstrated to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol levels, contributing to cardiovascular risk reduction particularly in patients with high cardiovascular risk. However, low adherence to statin therapy, often due to adverse effects, has raised the need for new pharmacological approaches to combine with statin therapy in order to reach the target levels of LDL cholesterol. Ezetimibe is a selective inhibitor of Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) protein that regulates the cholesterol uptake from the small intestine into the enterocytes. Ezetimibe has been demonstrated to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol levels in combination with statins and recent trials support its role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Medicina Interna, Università degli Studi, Bologna.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Avanzate, Università degli Studi "Federico II", Napoli.
authors.forename: Pasquale Perrone
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Filardi
mesh_terms: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001384:Azetidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001384:Azetidines; D015415:Biomarkers; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000069438:Ezetimibe