Cholestyramine Resin Therapy for Hypercholesteremia

Cholestyramine resin, a bile-acid-sequestering agent, was administered to nine hypercholesteremic patients for periods of one month to four years. By promoting fecal excretion of bile acids, the resin appears to induce an increase in the rate of cholesterol conversion to bile acids in the liver, often resulting in a diminution of plasma cholesterol levels. During daily treatment with 13.3 gm of cholestyramine, eight of the subjects achieved mean serum total cholesterol levels that ranged from 80% to 50% of the average control values. The decreases were sustained for the duration of treatment. Two patients and one normal subject exhibited marked increases in fecal bile-acid excretion during resin administration, but neutral sterol output did not change consistently. The preparation produced occasional gastrointestinal discomfort; however, systemic side effects were not encountered.