Cholesterol Drug Combo May Benefit Diabetics

Filed in archive Research on July 27, 2006

Many diabetics, especially Type 2, also take a cholesterol-lowering medication. Now, research finds that combining two of those medications may prove especially helpful for diabetics.

People with diabetes typically tend to have mixed lipid abnormalities, such as high cholesterol and high triglycerides. "Much of the cardiovascular risk associated with diabetes may stem from the associated abnormal 'diabetic' lipid profile, Dr. Joseph B. Muhlestein told Reuters Health.

This profile, which is characterized by a combination of abnormal lipid parameters, cannot often be rectified by just one drug," he explained.

The combination of fenofibrate and simvastatin worked far better than either alone to lower both LDL ('bad') cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Do you take any cholesterol-lowering drugs? How beneficial have you found them to be?

(Image Source: NHLBI)