Lipid-lowering agents (bile acid sequestrants)
- Bind bile acids in gut → ↑ LDL clearance
- Cholestyramine/colesevelam are examples
- Lower LDL modestly; may raise triglycerides
- GI effects and pill/powder burden are common
- Bind many other drugs → separate dosing
- No systemic absorption
Class at a glance
- Bind bile acids in gut → ↑ LDL clearance
Practical pearls
- Cholestyramine/colesevelam are examples
Other practical pearls
- Bind many other drugs → separate dosing
Safety / monitoring
- Lower LDL modestly; may raise triglycerides
- GI effects and pill/powder burden are common
- No systemic absorption
Self-check
- Why separate bile-acid sequestrants from many other oral drugs?
They bind those drugs in the gut. - How can bile-acid sequestrants affect triglycerides?
They may raise them.
Drugs in this class (3)
Lipid-lowering agents (bile acid sequestrants) prescription history
Animated chart of estimated U.S. prescriptions per year, Lipid-lowering meds (1955–2026). Bile acid sequestrants highlighted from 1961.
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