Efficacy of Colestimide Coadministered With Atorvastatin in Japanese Patients With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH)

Background Colestimide, a 2-methylimidazole-epichlorohydrin polymer, is a new bile-acid-sequestering resin, that is 4-fold as powerful at lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) as the conventional resin (cholestyramine). Moreover, colestimide has excellent patient compliance because it is available in tablet form. Methods and Results The clinical efficacy of colestimide coadministered with atorvastatin on lipid and apolipoprotein concentrations was examined in 15 patients (M/F =10/5, mean ± SE age =54±9 years) with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). After a period of wash-out of any lipid-lowering drugs, atorvastatin (20-40 mg) was administered to patients for at least 8 weeks, and then 3 g of colestimide was administered for a further 8 weeks. Total and LDL-C significantly (