Abstract
Ezetimibe, as the only representative of a class of selective inhibitors of intestinal cholesterol absorption, has been used in clinical practice for more than 15 years. In addition to my own experience, its use in combination with statins is based on very well documented efficacy with regard to atherogenic lipid and lipoprotein levels (LDL-cholesterol decrease by another 20% after addition to a statin) and data from morbidity and mortality studies (SEAS, SHARP, IMPROVE-IT).
Ezetimibe has advanced in the latest guidelines and is recommended for all those who do not reach the target values with statin monotherapy. As documented by recent epidemiological studies (DaVinci, EUROASPIRE, Lipitenclidec), the use of ezetimibe is still not common, although we have a number of suitable fixed-dose combinations which should facilitate its inclusion in treatment.
The following text aims to summarize the current role of ezetimibe in the algorithm for the treatment of patients with dyslipidemia and draw attention to the practical aspects of its indication.