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The mechanism of the life-threatening drug-interaction of Bayer's cholesterol-lowering agent Lipobay/Baycol clarified
December 16, 2002Researchers from Finland have found that the cholesterol-lowering agent gemfibrozil (marketed as Lopid and generics) greatly increases the concentrations of cerivastatin (Lipobay or Baycol) in blood. This finding explains the observed muscle toxicity of the gemfibrozil-cerivastatin combination. This potentially fatal adverse effect of cerivastatin led to the withdrawal of Lipobay/Baycol from the market.
The concentrations of Lipobay were increased on average 5-6-fold by Lopid, in some individuals even 10-fold, in a study in healthy subjects. The study was conducted in the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Helsinki, by an independent group of researchers led by professor Pertti Neuvonen, MD, and Dr. Janne Backman, MD. This new finding is believed to explain a large number of the muscle toxicities and deaths reported in patients taking Lipobay.
The German pharmaceutical company Bayer withdrew Lipobay/Baycol from the market worldwide last year. At least 500 cases of muscle damage, including 100 deaths, have been reported in patients taking the drug. In almost half of the cases, Lipobay/Baycol had been used in combination with Lopid. The withdrawal of Lipobay/Baycol was a great disappointment and huge financial loss to the company that is best known as the inventor of aspirin.
Combinations of lipid-lowering agents are used for treatment of mixed-type lipid disorders. Muscle toxicity is a rare but potentially serious adverse effect of all statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs like Lipobay. The risk of muscle toxicity during treatment with statins increases when their concentrations in blood increase too much.
Gemfibrozil has been found to increase moderately the concentrations and muscle toxicity of also some other statins, such as simvastatin (Zocor and generics). Yet, these statins can be cautiously coadministered with gemfibrozil without compromising patient safety.
The study was published in the December issue of the respected scientific journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki)
Combinations of lipid-lowering agents are used for treatment of mixed-type lipid disorders. Muscle toxicity is a rare but potentially serious adverse effect of all statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs like Lipobay. The risk of muscle toxicity during treatment with statins increases when their concentrations in blood increase too much.
Gemfibrozil has been found to increase moderately the concentrations and muscle toxicity of also some other statins, such as simvastatin (Zocor and generics). Yet, these statins can be cautiously coadministered with gemfibrozil without compromising patient safety.
The study was published in the December issue of the respected scientific journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki)
Cholesterol Current Events and Cholesterol News RSSGenetic analysis helps dissect molecular basis of cardiovascular disease
Using highly precise measurements of plasma lipoprotein concentrations determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), researchers led by Daniel Chasman at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, the Framingham Heart Study in Framingham, and the PROCARDIS consortium in Stockholm, Sweden and Oxford, England performed genetic association analysis across the whole genome among 17,296 women of European ancestry from the Women's Genome Health Study.
New understanding about mechanism for cell death after stroke leads to possible therapy
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Dispensing prescription drugs in 3-month supplies reduces drug costs by a third
Purchasing prescription drugs in a three-month supply rather than a one-month supply has long been regarded as a way to reduce the cost of drugs for patients and third-party payers. New research from the University of Chicago quantifies the savings for the first time.
The Protein Srebp2 Drives Cholesterol Formation in Prion-Infected Neuronal Cells Which May Promote Prion-Dependent Diseases
The regulating protein Srebp2 drives cholesterol formation, which prions need for their propagation, in prion-infected neuronal cells.
Pivotal study for PSD502 -- the first potential treatment for premature ejaculation
At the annual meeting of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA), Inc. in San Diego, Sciele Pharma, Inc., a Shionogi Company and Plethora Solutions Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Plethora Solutions Holdings PLC ("Plethora" - AIM:PLE)., today presented data from its second positive pivotal study of PSD502 for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE).
Night Beat, Overtime and a Disrupted Sleep Pattern Can Harm Officers' Health
A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good "night's" sleep.
Vitamin B niacin offers no extra benefit to statin therapy in seniors already diagnosed with CAD
The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows.
Heart and bone damage from low vitamin D tied to declines in sex hormones
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the first conclusive evidence in men that the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency are amplified by lower levels of the key sex hormone estrogen, but not testosterone.
Early end to key study on benefits of niacin, a B vitamin, in keeping arteries open was premature
Heart experts at Johns Hopkins are calling premature the early halt of a study by researchers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Washington Hospital Center on the benefits of combining extended-release niacin, a B vitamin, with cholesterol-lowering statin medications to prevent blood vessel narrowing.
oo much selenium can increase your cholesterol
A new study from the University of Warwick has discovered taking too much of the essential mineral selenium in your diet can increase your cholesterol by almost 10%.
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