Ezetimibe plus simvastatin cardiovascular outcomes study program.

Ezetimibe is a drug that impairs intestinal cholesterol absorption and decreases blood cholesterol levels. It has been shown that added to statins it can achieve a further reduction of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol of 18-20%, overcoming the increase in absorption that follow the reduction in cholesterol synthesis by statins. Four major outcome trials are underway to study the effect of ezetimibe plus simvastatin in different subsets of high-risk patients: familiar hypercholesterolemia, degenerative aortic stenosis, chronic kidney disease and acute coronary syndrome. Hopefully, in the next few years the information provided by these trials will allow us to further reduce the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease.