The efficacy of gemfibrozil in the treatment of resistant familial hypercholesterolaemia and type III hyperlipoproteinaemia was evaluated in 26 individuals over a mean period of 16 months. In the untreated state both disorders are associated with a high frequency of coronary heart disease. In the former, gemfibrozil with a bile acid sequestrant reduced plasma cholesterol by 32%, an incremental decrease of 17% compared with sequestrant therapy alone. In type III, plasma cholesterol was reduced by 40% and plasma triglyceride by 70%, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased by 45%. In none of the patients studied did clinical or biochemical side effects occur.
ManninenV. The gemfibrozil study. Acta Med Scand1985(Suppl 701):83–9
2.
SamuelP. Effect of gemfibrozil on serum lipids. Am J Med1983; 74: 23–7
3.
NyeERSutherlandWHFTempleWA. The treatment of hyperlipoproteinemia with gemfibrozil compared with placebo and clofibrate. N Zealand Med J1980; 92: 345–9
4.
FrickMHEloOHaapaK, Helsinki Heart Study: Primary prevention trial with Gemfibrozil in middle-aged men with dyslipidemia. N Engl J Med1987; 317: 1237–45
5.
LewisB. The hyperlipidaemias: clinical and laboratory practice. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, 1976: chapters 11, 13
6.
BrewerHBZechLAGreggRESchwartzDSchaeferEJ. Type III hyperlipoproteinemia: Diagnosis, molecular defects, pathology and treatment. Ann Intern Med1983; 98: 623–40
7.
ChoudhurySJacksonPKatanMBMarenahCBCorteseCMillerNELewisB. A multifactorial diet in the management of hyperlipidaemia. Atherosclerosis1984; 50: 93–103
8.
WarnickGRAlbersJJ. A comprehensive evaluation of the heparin-manganese precipitation procedure for estimating high density lipoprotein cholesterol. J Lipid Res1978; 19: 65–76
9.
HoogwerfBJBantleJPKubaKFrantzIDJrHunninghakeDB. Treatment of Type III hyperlipoproteinemia with four different treatment regimens. Atherosclerosis1934; 51: 251–9
10.
HowardANHyamsDE. Combined use of clofibrate and cholestyramine or DEAE-sephadex in hypercholesterolaemia. Br Med J1971; iii: 25–7
11.
Lipid Research Clinic's Program. The Lipid Research Clinic's Primary Prevention Trial results. 1. Reduction in incidence of coronary heart disease. JAMA1984; 251: 351–64
12.
PetoRYusufSCollinsR. Cholesterol-lowering trials in their epidemiological context. Circulation1985; 72:III–451 (abstract)
13.
MartinMJHulleySBBrownerWSKullerLHWentworthD. Serum cholesterol, blood pressure, and mortality: Implications from a cohort of 361 622 men. Lancet1986; ii: 933–6
