DUAL BEZAFIBRATE SIMVASTATIN THERAPY FOR COMBINED HYPERLIPIDEMIA

Statins and fibrates are both effective in the treatment of hyperlipidaemias but are not recommended in combination because episodes of rhabdomyolysis have followed combined lovastatin-gemfibrozil therapy. We assessed treatment with dual bezafobrate-simvastatin therapy in routine clinical practice. In 22 patients, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides fell by 20.1% (P<0.0001), 35.1% (P<0.001) and 31% (P<0.05) respectively, and HDL-cholesterol rose by 18.4% (P<0.05) on combination therapy. The reduction in cholesterol followed the introduction of simvastatin, while the decrease in triglycerides followed treatment with bezafibrate. No patient developed myopathy. We conclude that dual simvastatin-bezafibrate therapy is well tolerated and may reduce triglyceride concentrations, but offers no advantage in cholesterol reduction over treatment with simvastatin alone.