Cholestyramine Brand Names
Locholest | Locholest Light | Prevalite | Questran | Questran Light
What is Cholestyramine
Cholestyramine is a polymeric resin, administered orally to bind bile acids. Originally, cholestyramine was used to treat pruritis secondary to cholestasis, but its main use today is to treat hypercholesterolemia with concomitant hypertriglyceridemia.
Cholestyramine also has been used to treat Clostridium difficile enterocolitis, although traditional antibiotics are more effective. Since cholestyramine and the related agent colestipol are not absorbed orally, they are the drugs of choice for treating hyperlipidemia in pregnant women.
Cholestyramine was approved by the FDA in 1966.
A request for OTC status has been considered and denied twice by the FDA: once in October 1995 and again in May 1997.
Indications
- diarrhea
- hypercholesterolemia
- hyperlipoproteinemia
- pruritus
For treatment of hypercholesterolemia, especially elevated LDL cholesterol (type IIa and IIb hyperlipoproteinemia), and for pruritus associated with biliary stasis
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- anemia
- anorexia
- anxiety
- back pain
- cholelithiasis
- colic
- constipation
- dental caries
- diarrhea
- diuresis
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- dysgeusia
- dyspepsia
- dysphagia
- dyspnea
- dysuria
- ecchymosis
- edema
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- eructation
- fatigue
- flatulence
- folate deficiency
- GI bleeding
- GI obstruction
- headache
- hematuria
- hiccups
- hyperchloremic acidosis
- hypoprothrombinemia
- libido increase
- musculoskeletal pain
- nausea
- neuropathic pain
- night blindness
- osteoporosis
- pancreatitis
- paresthesias
- peptic ulcer
- prolonged bleeding time
- rash
- skin irritation
- steatorrhea
- stool discoloration
- syncope
- tinnitus
- tooth discoloration
- urticaria
- uveitis
- vertigo
- vomiting
- weight gain
- weight loss
- wheezing
Monitoring Parameters
- serum lipid profile
Contraindications
- biliary cirrhosis
- biliary obstruction
- breast-feeding
- children
- cholelithiasis
- coagulopathy
- constipation
- dysphagia
- geriatric
- GI obstruction
- hemorrhoids
- hypertriglyceridemia
- hypothyroidism
- ileus
- phenylketonuria
- pregnancy
- renal disease
Interactions
- Acetaminophen
- Acetaminophen; Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Dihydrocodeine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Magnesium Salicylate; Phenyltoloxamine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Phenyltoloxamine; Salicylamide
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Phenylephrine; Phenyltoloxamine
- Acetaminophen; Codeine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Doxylamine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Guaifenesin; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetaminophen; Dichloralphenazone; Isometheptene
- Acetaminophen; Diphenhydramine
- Acetaminophen; Guaifenesin; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Hydrocodone
- Acetaminophen; Oxycodone
- Acetaminophen; Pentazocine
- Acetaminophen; Propoxyphene
- Acetaminophen; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetaminophen; Tramadol
- Alendronate; Cholecalciferol
- Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors
- Amiodarone
- Aspirin, ASA; Pravastatin
- Atorvastatin; Ezetimibe
- Bempedoic Acid; Ezetimibe
- Benzhydrocodone; Acetaminophen
- Bexarotene
- Bismuth Subcitrate Potassium; Metronidazole; Tetracycline
- Bismuth Subsalicylate; Metronidazole; Tetracycline
- Calcifediol
- Calcitriol
- Calcium; Vitamin D
- Carbidopa; Levodopa; Entacapone
- Cephalexin
- Chenodiol
- Cholic Acid
- Cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.
- Deferasirox
- Dexamethasone
- Diclofenac
- Diclofenac; Misoprostol
- Digoxin
- Dihydrotachysterol
- Diphenhydramine; Ibuprofen
- Diphenhydramine; Naproxen
- Doxercalciferol
- Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol; Levomefolate
- Entacapone
- Ergocalciferol, Vitamin D2
- Esomeprazole; Naproxen
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel; Folic Acid; Levomefolate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate; Ferrous fumarate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone; Ferrous fumarate
- Ezetimibe
- Ezetimibe; Simvastatin
- Famotidine; Ibuprofen
- Fat soluble vitamins
- Fenofibrate
- Fenofibric Acid
- Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Dietary Supplements)
- Fluvastatin
- Folic Acid, Vitamin B9
- Furosemide
- Gemfibrozil
- Glipizide
- Glipizide; Metformin
- Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Propranolol
- Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Spironolactone
- Hydrocodone; Ibuprofen
- Hydrocortisone
- Ibuprofen
- Ibuprofen; Oxycodone
- Ibuprofen; Pseudoephedrine
- Imipramine
- Iron
- Iron Salts
- Isotretinoin
- Lansoprazole; Naproxen
- Leflunomide
- Levomefolate
- Lomitapide
- Loperamide
- Loperamide; Simethicone
- Lovastatin; Niacin
- Meloxicam
- Methotrexate
- Methylprednisolone
- Metronidazole
- Mycophenolate
- Naproxen
- Naproxen; Pseudoephedrine
- Naproxen; Sumatriptan
- Niacin, Niacinamide
- Niacin; Simvastatin
- Obeticholic Acid
- Paricalcitol
- Penicillin G
- Penicillin G Benzathine
- Penicillin G Benzathine; Penicillin G Procaine
- Penicillin G Procaine
- Phytonadione, Vitamin K1
- Piroxicam
- Polysaccharide-Iron Complex
- Pravastatin
- Prednisone
- Propranolol
- Raloxifene
- Sodium Ferric Gluconate Complex; ferric pyrophosphate citrate
- Spironolactone
- Sulfinpyrazone
- Teriflunomide
- Tetracyclines
- Thiazide diuretics
- Thyroid hormones
- Tinidazole
- Torsemide
- Tretinoin, ATRA
- Ursodeoxycholic Acid, Ursodiol
- Valproic Acid, Divalproex Sodium
- Vancomycin
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Warfarin
