Prospects for the development of novel anti-hyperlipidemic drugs.

Hyperlipidemia is a well-established risk factor for atherogenesis and cardiovascular disease. Statins have been the cornerstone of treatment for hyperlipidemia in recent years and have significantly contributed to the improvement of cardiovascular disease therapy. However, novel antihyperlipidemic agents that have been developed over the last decade possess the capacity to significantly reduce plasma lipoproteins. This review analyzes the pharmacological profile, effectiveness and safety of some promising drugs that are either already in clinical use (eg, ezetimibe and nicotinic acid) or under study (eg, acyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitors, cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitors and apolipoprotein A-IMilano).