New cholesterol drug approved by FDA

Senior citizens who suffer from high cholesterol may be interested to hear of a new medical option being placed on the market.


On Monday, the FDA approved TriLipix, a drug that has been proven to reduce artery-clogging cholesterol and fat in patients' blood when used with blood-thinning drugs known as statins. The combination of both prescription drugs assists patients in managing their lipid levels.


TriLipix is part of a family of drugs called fibrates, which raise "good" HDL cholesterol while reducing the "bad" LDL cholesterol, and may prevent the development of heart disease in patients.


"The approval of TriLipix is good news for patients because now there is a new treatment option that can be used alone or in combination with a statin to help address lipid problems," said Michael Davidson, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.


For some seniors who may need a new cholesterol treatment, the timing of the approval appears to be beneficial.

The deadline to enroll or change one's Medicare plan is on December 31st.


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