26658-42-4

description

Bile acid sequestrants like colestipol have been in use since the 1970s. And even though such an agent may very well be useful in reducing elevated cholesterol levels and decreasing the risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia, colestipol is still generally only employed as an adjunct therapy and the relatively physical nature of its pharmacological activity sometimes limits its usefulness. In particular, as colestipol's general mechanism of action ultimately results in the decreased absorption and enhanced secretion of bile acids and lipids in the feces, patients who take complicated medication regimens, experience constipation or biliary obstruction, etc. may not be good candidates for using the agent owing to its physical effects on the gut. Alternatively, colestipol predominantly elicits its activities within the gut environment because it undergoes little absorption and metabolism. The resultant lack of systemic exposure consequently means the medication generally demonstrates very few adverse effects inside the body.