Statins account for 81% of first-line dyslipidemia treatment

Despite the dominant market position of statins in the treatment of dyslipidemia, or cholesterol-lowering, only 81% of patients receive such medicines to treat their condition as a first-line therapy for the disease, according to a new report by Decision Resources.

The study, entitled Treatment Algorithm Insight Series: Dyslipidemia, finds that Pfizer's Lipitor (atorvastatin) and AstraZeneca's Crestor (rosuvastatin), both statins, are the leaders of first-line and third-line therapy markets, respectively, in the treatment of dyslipidemia. In fact, Lipitor is the world's largest selling drug, generating turnover of $12.19 billion for the company in 2005. Additionally, US drugmakers Merck & Co/Schering-Plough's Zetia (ezetimibe), a non-statin agent, leads the second-line therapy market for treating high cholesterol.

"We also found that, on average, over 97% of first-line therapy for dyslipidemia is prescribed as monotherapy," said Alice von Loesecke, a senior director at Decision Resources. "Even drugs such as Zetia and niacin, which are typically perceived as being adjunct therapies, are prescribed as monotherapy over 90% of the time when they are used as first-line agents," she added.