Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Gemfibrozil

Gemfibrozil is the generic name for an oral lipid lowering drug. It is most commonly sold as the brand name, Lopid. more...

Home
Diseases
Medicines
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
Gabapentin
Gabitril
Galantamine
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate
Ganciclovir
Garamycin
Gaviscon
Gemcitabine
Gemfibrozil
Gemhexal
Gemzar
Generlac
Gentamicin
Geodon
Gleevec
Gliadel
Gliadel Wafer
Glibenclamide
Glimepiride
Glipizide
Glucagon
Glucobay
Glucohexal
Glucophage
Glucosamine
Glucotrol
Glutethimide
Golytely
Gonadorelin
Goserelin
Gramicidin
Gramicidin S
Granisetron
Grifulvin V
Griseofulvin
Guaifenesin
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Actions

  • Increase activity of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARĪ±), a receptor which is involved in metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, as well as adipose tissue differentiation.

Therapeutic effects

  • Reduce triglyceride levels
  • Reduce Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels
  • Modest reduction of Low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels
  • Moderate increase in High density lipoprotein (HDL) levels

Nontherapeutic effects and toxicities

  • GI distress
  • Musculoskeletal pain
  • Increased incidence of gallstones
  • Hypokalemia

Indications

  • Hyperlipidemia (Type III): Gemfibrozil is the drug of choice for therapy.
  • Hypertriglyceridemia (Type IV): Gemfibrozil, though not as effective as nicotinic acid, is better tolerated.

Contraindications and Precautions

  • Gemfibrozil should not be given to these patients:
    • Hepatic dysfunction
    • Renal dysfunction
  • Gemfibrozil should be used with caution in these higher risk categories:
    • Biliary tract disease
    • pregnant women
    • obese patients
    • Native Americans

Drug Interactions

  • Anticoagulants. Gemfibrozil potentiates the action of coumadin and indanedione anticoagulants.
  • Lovastatin. Risk of myopathy when gemfibrozil is given to patients receiving lovastatin.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Varying effects of lipid drugs on overall mortality rates
From American Family Physician, 8/1/05 by Allen F. Shaughnessy

Clinical Question: What methods of lipid lowering decrease overall mortality rates in patients with hyperlipidemia?

Setting: Various (meta-analysis)

Study Design: Meta-analysis (randomized controlled trials)

Synopsis: On average, do all lipid-lowering drugs make people live longer? These investigators searched four databases to find randomized trials addressing this question. Two authors then independently determined whether each study was suitable for inclusion, only using studies that were randomized and that were conducted over at least three months. They included studies that involved patients without evidence of heart disease--primary prevention--as well as secondary prevention studies that enrolled patients with known heart disease. They included studies written in any language and ended up with 97 studies that enrolled more than 275,000 patients.

Only statins and omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils or linolenic acid) decreased the overall mortality rate, and the effect of the omega-3 fatty acids was seen only in patients with preexisting heart disease. In primary prevention trials, fibrates (fenofibrate [Lipidil], clofibrate [Atromid-S], gemfibrozil [Lopid]) increased mortality rates, with one additional death for every 132 patients treated for an average of 4.4 years (number needed to treat to harm [NNH] = 132; 95% confidence interval [CI], 69 to 662). Many patients have to be treated with a statin to prevent one additional death; the number needed to treat for 3.3 years was 228 (95% CI, 123 to 2,958). In patients with known heart disease, 50 patients (95% CI, 38 to 78) would have to be treated with a statin to prevent one additional death, and 44 patients (95% CI, 31 to 84) would need to be treated with fish oil to prevent one additional death, each over an average of 4.4 years (excluding one low-quality study). Treatment with diet, resins (colestipol [Colestid], cholestyramine [Questran]), or niacin did not affect overall mortality rates.

Bottom Line: Only statin lipid-lowering drugs have been shown to decrease overall mortality rates in patients with high cholesterol but without evidence of heart disease. However, most patients treated with one of these drugs will not benefit; 228 have to be treated for 3.3 years to prevent one additional death during this period. In patients with known heart disease, statins and fish oil have been shown to decrease mortality rates, whereas niacin, resins, and diet have not. Fibrates increase overall mortality rates and at the same time decrease cardiac mortality rates. (Level of Evidence: 1a)

Study Reference: Studer M, et al. Effect of different antilipidemic agents and diets on mortality: a systematic review. Arch Intern Med April 11, 2005;165:725-30.

Used with permission from Shaughnessy AF. Varying effects of lipid drugs on overall mortality. Accessed online June 1, 2005, at: http://www.InfoPOEMs.com.

COPYRIGHT 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

Return to Gemfibrozil
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay