Probucol and cholestyramine combination in the treatment of severe hypercholesterolemia

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the combined probucol and cholestyramine treatment on the lipoprotein pattern of hypercholesterolemic patients. Probucol was given in the dose of 1 g and cholestyramine in the dose of 16 g per day in 3 different sequences: Probucol, Cholestyramine, Probucol + Cholestyramine; Probucol + Cholestyramine, Probucol, Cholestyramine; Cholestyramine, Probucol + Cholestyramine, Probucol. After a period of dietary stabilization, 12 patients were randomly allocated to one of the treatment sequences to be followed for 9 months. Each treatment period lasted 3 months. During the cholestyramine period serum cholesterol decreased on the average by 18% and LDL cholesterol by 26%; during probucol, the mean decrease was 13% and 14%, and during the combined therapy 26% and 32%, respectively. Serum triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol showed a trend toward an increase during the cholestyramine period. HDL₂ cholesterol significantly decreased during probucol treatment. Variation in both VLDL and HDL₂ cholesterol observed when the drugs were given singly were no longer seen during the combination therapy.