Review: Cardiovascular & Renal Recent developments in hypocholesterolaemic agents

Abstract
Hypercholesterolaemia is a major risk factor in the development of atherosclerosis. The recent marketing of several HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (i.e. lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin and fluvas-tatin) has demonstrated a huge market for hypocholesterolaemic agents. Several companies are involved in developing other cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitors in addition to agents which decrease dietary cholesterol absorption. This review presents some of the recent trends in hypocholesterolaemic research as indicated by the activity in the patent literature over the past 3 years.