New therapies on the horizon

Statins have proved to be potent drugs for reducing tow-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. However, because the response to current stati n therapy regimens is not always sufficient to reach defined goal levels, a dditional drugs to lower LDL-C are needed. New drugs may soon be available to lower LDL-C levels by mechanisms that differ from those of the statins. Among these new agents are a bile acid binding resin, inhibitors of bile ac id transport, inhibitors of cholesterol transport, inhibitors of cholestero l esterification, and triglyceride-lowering agents.