Is There Hope For Zetia?

If you've been listening to the news over this past year, you know that there have been recent studies that have caused quite a controversy concerning Vytorin (simvastatin + Zetia) and Zetia. Many of these studies have suggested that adding Zetia to any cholesterol-lowering treatment plan may lower LDL levels greatly, but it doesn't do much else in terms of heart disease prevention. A new study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that Zetia may provide some benefit in lowering the incidence of atherosclerosis.

This new study, referred to as the SANDS (Stop Atherosclerosis in Native Diabetics Study) trial, examined the effects of simvastatin, with or without Zetia, on lowering LDL (or "bad") cholesterol and carotid intima media thickness in 499 Native Americans over a three year period. The participants of this study had type 2 diabetes, but had not had a cardiac event yet. The participants of this study were divided into two groups that had two LDL cholesterol goals: 100 mg/dL or a more aggressive LDL goal of 70 mg/dL. If some of these individuals could not reach their goal of 70 mg/dL, Zetia was added.

It was found that the people with the more aggressive LDL goal of 70 mg/dL had a smaller carotid intima-media thickness than people with a LDL goal of 100 mg/dL, which means less atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery in those treated more aggressively.

While this study shows that adding Zetia may provide benefit lowering the incidence of plaque formation (where other studies have conflicted in this area), there are a few snags with the study. Of course, there need to be more participants in this study. Secondly, we really need longer than three years to determine whether or not any cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack or stroke, occur down the road.

And the question that has been burning on everyone’s mind has yet to be answered: Is it the aggressive LDL lowering or the statin that is lowering plaque formation? In addition to lowering cholesterol, statins have anti-inflammatory properties, too. But with this study, it shows that adding Zetia to get to that 70 mg/dL goal may provide some benefit.

Stay tuned for more developments…I don’t think that this is the last we’ll see of Zetia.