Colestipol Hydrochloride 1g, 5g Suppliers & Bulk Manufacturers

Available Forms: Tablets / Oral suspension

Available Strengths: 1g, 5g

Reference Brands: Colestid (USA)

Category: Heart Disorder

Colestipol hydrochloride is a bile acid sequestrant that binds bile acids in the intestine, preventing their reabsorption. This leads to increased conversion of cholesterol to bile acids, lowering LDL cholesterol levels. It is often used when statins are not tolerated or as an add-on therapy for hyperlipidemia.

Product Description:

Colestipol is a bile acid sequestrant, an insoluble anion-exchange resin that binds bile acids in the intestine and removes them in the stool. The liver responds by converting more cholesterol into bile acids, raising LDL receptor activity and lowering LDL cholesterol by about 15 to 20 percent. It is not absorbed at all, so it has no systemic toxicity — the reason resins were historically used in pregnancy and in children before statins were available.

It is used for raised LDL cholesterol, usually as an addition when statins alone are insufficient or not tolerated, and off label for bile acid diarrhoea, where it binds the bile acids irritating the colon. Constipation, bloating and abdominal discomfort are common and limit adherence, particularly with the granule form, which must be mixed with liquid. It raises triglycerides and can reduce absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and of many drugs, including digoxin, thiazides and levothyroxine, which are taken at least one hour before or four hours after.

Sourcing notes. Off patent, with a narrow supplier base as statins and ezetimibe displaced the class. Tablets and granules are separate presentations, and the granules carry a large powder volume that affects packaging and freight.