colestipol vs gemfibrozil
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Side-by-side comparison of colestipol and gemfibrozil. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
The absorption of tetracycline, furosemide, penicillin G, hydrochlorothiazide, and gemfibrozil was significantly decreased when given simultaneously with colestipol hydrochloride; these drugs were not tested to determine the effect of administration one hour before colestipol hydrochloride.
Colestid
Lopid
Colestipol is a drug that helps lower cholesterol levels in your blood. It works by binding to bile acids in your intestine, which helps your body get rid of cholesterol.
Gemfibrozil is a medicine that helps lower high triglyceride levels in your blood. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease in some people.
Colestipol is used along with a healthy diet to lower high cholesterol levels, specifically LDL-C ('bad' cholesterol). It is for people who haven't been able to lower their cholesterol enough with diet alone. Lowering cholesterol can help prevent heart disease and stroke.
This medicine is used to treat very high triglyceride levels in adults when diet alone doesn't work. High triglycerides can increase your risk of pancreatitis. Gemfibrozil can also lower the risk of heart disease in some people with specific cholesterol problems.
Colestipol is a bile acid sequestrant. It binds to bile acids in your intestines. This helps your body get rid of cholesterol, which lowers the amount of cholesterol in your blood.
Gemfibrozil belongs to a class of drugs called fibrates. It works by decreasing the amount of triglycerides your body makes. It also helps to increase HDL (good) cholesterol.
- • Constipation
- • Abdominal discomfort (pain and cramping)
- • Intestinal gas (bloating and flatulence)
- • Indigestion and heartburn
- • Diarrhea and loose stools
- • Upset stomach
- • Indigestion
- • Abdominal pain
- Diarrhoea 358
- Nausea 221
- Fatigue 210
- Headache 136
- Vomiting 125
- Nausea 883
- Fatigue 825
- Diarrhoea 726
- Pain 693
- Dizziness 617
None
This medicine may increase your risk of gallbladder problems, including the need for surgery. Before taking gemfibrozil, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. You should not take this medicine with simvastatin, repaglinide, dasabuvir, or selexipag.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if colestipol can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if gemfibrozil can harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if gemfibrozil passes into breast milk.
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How to Read This colestipol vs gemfibrozil Comparison
colestipol is classified in the Bile Acid Sequestrant drug class, while gemfibrozil sits within the Fibrate class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, colestipol has 1,050 submissions while gemfibrozil has 3,744. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to colestipol can trap gemfibrozil in the gut, which significantly lowers the amount of medicine that enters your body.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for colestipol or gemfibrozil.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.