Medications: Cholesterol absorption inhibitors
An inhibitor of cholesterol absorption is the newest type of lipid-lowering medication. As the name implies, these drugs work by blocking the intestinal absorption of cholesterol from the diet and bile acids. Ezetimibe (Zetia) is the first and only drug to be approved in this class. The drug lowers LDL cholesterol levels by about 15percent, and when used in combination with a statin, LDL levels may be reduced by up to 55percent.
For more on side effects, see
Lipid-Lowering Drugs (PDF).
