SALT LAKE CITY, March 13 (UPI) -- Heart researchers in Utah say diabetic patients struggling to control cholesterol may benefit from a triple-drug therapy.
The study, presented to the American College of Cardiology meeting in Atlanta, found that diabetic patients who were already taking two cholesterol-lowering drugs to reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides saw dramatic improvement when they added a third, specific cholesterol-lowering drug, the Salt Lake City Deseret News reported.
High cholesterol levels have been linked to heart disease, a common and life-threatening complication of diabetes.
The patients in the study received dual therapy with simvastatin and fenofibrate, which both slow down production of cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver. Those receiving the third drug received ezetimibe, the newspaper said.
While dual-drug therapy using statin drugs is a common prescription for people with elevated cholesterol, most patients still fall short of the cholesterol guidelines set by the National Cholesterol Educational Program.
Using multiple drugs also allows doctors to prescribe lower doses and avoid side effects that can be associated with higher doses, the LDS Hospital researchers said.
