Treating high cholesterol is a priority for good heart health, but a common cholesterol medication may cause more harm than good. In a new study, older patients taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as fibrates experienced a 50 percent increase in their serum creatinine level in the first 90 days of their prescription, indicating a reduction in kidney health. The large, real practice study examined more than 20,000 older Ontario residents who had started new prescriptions for fenofibrate (a form of fibrate medication). Throughout the first 90 days of their prescription, a team of researchers monitored the renal outcomes of this population and compared them to patients taking ezetimide, another cholesterol agent now known to have negative impact on renal function. Results found the new fibrate users were more likely to experience an increase in serum creatinine, causing them to be more likely to consult a kidney specialist or to be hospitalized during this time.
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