Answer to Gastroenterology MCQ 67

The answer is C.

Although clinicians are quite adept at lowering cholesterol now that so many excellent medications within the statin family are available, it is not generally appreciated by most practitioners that the statins are not very effective in lowering triglyceride levels once they reach to a level of 500mg percent or higher. Those patients susceptible to getting acute pancreatitis of chronic pancreatitis form high triglyceride levels in the blood must have that triglyceride level lowered below 500mg percent. Most of these patients who have such high triglyceride levels are diabetics I in poor control. Therapeutic efforts must be madeto get as tight control of glucose metabolism as is possible, put such patients on a low fat diet, and most importantly, lower the triglyceride level with gemfibrozil in doses of 600mg three times a day. Niacin preparations whether they be short-acting or long-acting are not to be utilized in lieu of gemfibrozil. Such preparations have side effects, sometimes serious, and have not been very effective in the average patient.

Category: Gastroenterology MCQs