[Antilipemic agents available after the ban on clofibrate: clinical-pharmacological view].

Among the various available hypolipidemic agents only clofibrate-related substances, d-thyroxine and nicotinic acid are capable of lowering serum lipid values together with a relative or absolute rise of HDL. By that means one atherogenic risk factor is eliminated and compensated by an anti-risk factor. There are differences concerning the incidence and the seriousness of side-effects between the recommended hypolipidemic agents. Considering actual conditions attempts to find further factors that are associated with HDL level are the natural next step in efforts to develop effective lipid lowering drugs that decrease atherogenic lipoproteins, particularly LDL, and increase vasoprotective HDL.