Is combined lipid-regulating therapy safe and feasible for the very old patients with mixed dyslipidemia?

OBJECTIVES: To detect the efficacy and safety of combined lipid-regulating therapies in the very old patients with mixed dyslipidemia and determine an appropriate therapy for them. METHODS: Four hundred and fifty patients aged over 75 with mixed dyslipidemia were divided into five groups according to different combination therapies. Lipid levels and drug related adverse events were tested during the study. RESULTS: Total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were reduced in every group compared to baseline: statin + ezetimibe: −30.0% and −55.5%; statin + policosanol: −31.1% and −51.2%; statin + fibrates: −23.7% and −44.6%; statin + niacin: −25.2% and −43.0%; and niacin + fibrates: −11.3% and −23.5%. The target achievement rates of LDL-C all exceeded 50%, except in niacin + fibrates (42.0%); statin + ezetimibe: 57.0%; statin + policosanol: 56.0%; statin + niacin: 52.0%; and statin + fibrates: 50.0%. However, overall, the niacin + fibrates group was the most effective in decreasing triglyceride (TG) and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) as follows: niacin + fibrates: −39.3% and 28.6%; statin + fibrates: −29.3% and 18.4%; statin + niacin: −18.5% and 16.7%; statin + ezetimibe: −17.1% and 7.1%; and statin + policosanol: −15.6% and 9.5%. The achievement rates of TG and HDL-C levels in niacin + fibrates (58.0% and 39.0%) were better than the other four groups: statin + niacin (34.0% and 34.0%), statin + fibrates (43.0% and 28.0%), statin + policosanol (30.0% and 24.0%) and statin + ezetimibe (28.0% and 25.0%). Patients in all five groups experiencing drug adverse events were only 2% and no severe adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Statin + ezetimibe was the most effective group in lowering TC and LDL-C levels, while niacin + fibrates was the most effective in decreasing TG and increasing HDL-C levels. The commonly used combined lipid-regulating therapies with common dosages in this study were all quite safe and feasible for the very old patients with mixed hyperlipidemia.