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Plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) at entry and subsequent changes from these baseline levels were inversely predictive of coronary heart disease (CHD) end points in hypercholesterolemic men followed for 7 to 10 years in the Lipid Research Clinics Coronary Primary Prevention Trial, especially in the 1907 participants receiving cholestyramine. When the men in this cohort were compared, each 1 mg/dl increment in baseline HDL-C (mean 44.3 mg/dl) was associated with a 5.5% decrement in risk of "definite" CHD death or myocardial infarction (Z = -5.4), and each 1 mg/dl increase from baseline HDL-C levels (mean increase = 1.6 mg/dl) during the trial was associated with a 4.4% risk reduction (Z = -2.2). In the 1899 participants receiving placebo, the corresponding risk decrements were 3.4% and 1.1%. Although baseline HDL-C level (mean = 44.4 mg/dl) remained a significant risk predictor (Z = -3.8) in the placebo cohort, increases in HDL-C (mean increase 0.5 mg/dl) were not significantly predictive of CHD (Z = -0.6) unless "suspect" as well as "definite" end points were analyzed (Z = -2.0). When the associations between HDL-C (baseline plus change) and incidence of definite CHD end points within each treatment cohort were compared, their difference approached nominal significance (Z = 1. 9). The results suggest a synergistic interaction, in which cholestyramine treatment reduced CHD risk most substantially in men maintaining the highest HDL-C levels.

The cholestyramine confectionery bar is as effective as cholestyramine powder in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. The majority of the lipid-lowering effect is seen within 14 days of therapy. Although patient compliance is comparable between the two forms, gastrointestinal side effects were slightly greater with the bar form. Therefore, although the bar offers an alternative form of therapy, there appears to be no advantage with regard to patient compliance or palatability.

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