What is bile acid resin?
WHAT ARE BILE ACID SEQUESTRANTS AND HOW DO THEY WORK? Bile acid sequestrants or resins are medications for lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol often called “bad” cholesterol in the blood. They bind to bile acids and prevent reabsorption of bile acids in the intestines.
What drugs are bile acid resins?
Three bile acid sequestrants are available in the United States (common brand name and year of approval): cholestyramine (Questran, 1973), colesevelam (Welchol, 2000) and colestipol (Colestid, 1977).
How do bile acid resins work?
How do bile acid sequestrants work? Bile acid sequestrants bind bile acids in the intestine and increase the excretion of bile acids in the stool. This reduces the amount of bile acids returning to the liver and forces the liver to produce more bile acids to replace the bile acids lost in the stool.
What are resins medication?
Bile acid resins, also known as bile acid sequestrants, are a class of cholesterol-lowering medications that mainly lower LDL cholesterol. Drugs in this category include: Cholestyramine (Questran) Colesevelam (Welchol)
What do bile acids do?
Bile acids induce biliary lipid secretion and solubilize cholesterol in bile, promoting its elimination. In the small intestine, bile acids solubilize dietary lipids promoting their absorption. Bile acids are cytotoxic when present in abnormally high concentrations.
What are bile acid sequestrants used for?
Bile acid sequestrants are medicines that help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Too much cholesterol in your blood can stick to the walls of your arteries and narrow or block them. These medicines work by blocking bile acid in your stomach from being absorbed in your blood.
What is the function of bile acid?
Bile contains bile acids, which are critical for digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine. Many waste products, including bilirubin, are eliminated from the body by secretion into bile and elimination in feces.
What are bile acids used for?
In the intestines, bile acids act as detergents and help to emulsify fats, aiding in their digestion and absorption. After participating in digestion in the small bowel, bile acids are almost completely (95%) reabsorbed in the distal ileum and then retaken up from portal blood by the liver (enterohepatic circulation).
Why do bile acid resins increase triglycerides?
The bile acid sequestrants bind to these acids, reducing their supply. In turn, this stimulates the liver to produce more bile acids, which uses more cholesterol. Unfortunately, the resins can increase triglyceride levels. When the statins are not sufficient to lower high cholesterol, these drugs can be added.
How does colesevelam differ from other bile acid resins?
Colesevelam is the newest bile resin with a unique chemical structure. It binds to bile acids with higher affinity than traditional bile acid sequestrants and has fewer gastrointestinal side effects and drug interactions.
What are the side effects of bile acid sequestrants?
Bile acid sequestrants may interfere with the absorption of folic acid and fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, and K. Chronic use of bile acid sequestrants may cause increased bleeding tendency due to hypoprothrombinemia associated with vitamin K deficiency. Anemia may also occur due to reduced serum or red blood cell folate.
What to eat to absorb bile in stomach?
Dried peas and beans, oat products and psyllium are among the best sources of soluble fiber for bile reflux treatment. Milk and milk products contain very little soluble fiber.
What is a bile acid sequestrant?
Bile acid sequestrants are ion exchange polymers that bind to bile acids in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to decreased low density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol and total cholesterol.