Ezetimibe and simvastatin for the prevention of cardiovascular events in predialysis chronic kidney disease patients: a review

The majority of chronic kidney disease patients die of cardiovascular disease prior to reaching end-stage renal disease. The combination of ezetimibe and a statin has been the focus of a number of recent studies, given initial data showing a substantial reduction in low- density lipoprotein with the addition of ezetimibe. However, it is unclear how this low-density lipoprotein reduction impacts cardiovascular disease outcomes. This review will briefly discuss the burden of cardiovascular disease and the pathophysiology of dyslipidemia in chronic kidney disease patients. It will then assess the data regarding the impact of adding ezetimibe to a statin on the general population, and specifically predialysis chronic kidney disease patients.