Clinical commentary: Reaching new targets in monotherapy and combination therapy

Cardiovascular disease remains the most common cause of death in the United States. There has, however, been a decline in the age-adjusted death rate for coronary heart disease. This decline may be due, in part, to more aggressive treatment guidelines for treating cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The 2004 update to the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines have recommended lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goals in high-risk patients. Based on the new targets for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, clinicians will need more efficacious lipid-lowering therapies and improved options for combination therapy. Statin and statin-based combinations have been the mainstays of therapy during the last several years, and as statin utilization increases in the United States, more high-risk patients become exposed to potential statin intolerance. This commentary reviews statin-sparing combinations and use of cholesterol-absorption inhibitors. (C) 2009 National Lipid Association. All rights reserved.