Complementary therapy to target LDL cholesterol: the role of the ezetimibe/simvastatin combination

Cardiovascular (CV) disease remains the number 1 cause of death in the USA. Nonetheless, there has been a decline in the age-adjusted death rate for coronary heart disease (CHD) which may be due to more aggressive treatment guidelines for treating CV risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The recent update to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines have recommended lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals in high-risk patients. Based on the new targets for LDL-C, clinicians will need more efficacious lipid-lowering therapies. One of these newer therapies is the combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin. This article reviews the implications of the updated guidelines and discusses the efficacy and safety of ezetimibe/simvastatin for lowering LDL-C.