Prescribing of Fibrates Is Booming in the U.S.

Fibrate drugs (in the U.S., gemfibrozil [Lopid and generics], fenofibrate [Tricor and others], and fenofibric acid [Trilipix]) are prescribed widely to lower triglyceride levels. However, their effectiveness in preventing cardiovascular events — particularly in contemporary statin-treated patients — is controversial. Against this background, a report on the increasing use of fibrates is of interest.

Researchers used a U.S. and Canadian pharmaceutical database to examine fibrate prescribing from 2002 through 2009. During that period, the rate of fibrate prescribing remained relatively flat in Canada but doubled in the U.S. (from 336 to 730 prescriptions per 100,000 population monthly). Brand-name fenofibrate and fenofibric acid accounted for …