Torcetrapib
A review of nonstatin add-on therapies finds torcetrapib raised mortality in coronary patients despite a marked rise in HDL cholesterol (Curr Atheroscler Rep 2009)
Original title: A review of trials evaluating nonstatin lipid-lowering therapies
This review examines recently reported clinical trials that raise doubts about whether nonstatin lipid-lowering therapies reduce residual cardiovascular risk after statin monotherapy. Adding torcetrapib to statin therapy increased overall mortality in coronary patients despite producing a marked increase in HDL cholesterol. Combining ezetimibe with statin therapy neither further reduced carotid atherosclerosis nor slowed aortic stenosis progression, and had not been shown to be superior to statin monotherapy for reducing cardiovascular events. The review notes that ongoing trials of ezetimibe or extended-release niacin/laropiprant added to statin therapy would more clearly define the cardiovascular effects of these nonstatin add-on strategies.
Original abstract
Recently reported clinical trials raise doubts on the effectiveness of nonstatin lipid-lowering therapies in reducing the residual risk of cardiovascular events after statin monotherapy. Addition of -torcetrapib to statin therapy increased overall mortality in coronary patients despite a marked increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Combining ezetimibe with statin therapy neither further reduces carotid atherosclerosis nor slows aortic stenosis, and it has not been shown to be superior to statin monotherapy in reducing cardiovascular events. Clinical trials currently in progress will more clearly delineate the cardiovascular effects of adding either ezetimibe or extended-release niacin/laropiprant to statin therapy.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.