Combined use of clofibrate and cholestyramine or DEAE sephadex in hypercholesterolaemia

A comparison was made of the effect of DEAE (diethylaminoethyl) Sephadex (an anion exchange resin) and cholestyramine (Questran) with and without the addition of clofibrate in normal and hypercholesterolaemic patients. DEAE Sephadex (12-15 g/day) alone appeared to be as effective as cholestyramine in lowering the plasma cholesterol by 12-15%. Clofibrate acted synergistically with DEAE Sephadex and increased the activity of the latter by over twofold. This combination proved superior to that of clofibrate and cholestyramine and has the greatest potential use in the treatment of type II pattern hyperlipoproteinaemia.