Hypolipidemic drug, also called lipid-lowering drug, any agent the reduces the level of lipids and lipoproteins (lipid-protein complexes) in the blood. Statins are hypolipidemic drugs that block the enzyme HMG-CoA (5-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A) reductase, which is required for the synthesis of cholesterol.HypolipidemicdrugArticleAdditionalInfoHomeHealth&MedicineMedicineHypolipidemicdrugPrintCiteverifiedCiteWhileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies.Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions.SelectCitationStyleMLAAPAChicagoManualofStyleCopyCitationShareShareSharetosocialmediaFacebookTwitterURLhttps://www.britannica.com/science/hypolipidemic-drugMoreGiveFeedbackExternalWebsitesFeedbackCorrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin).FeedbackTypeSelectatype(Required)FactualCorrectionSpelling/GrammarCorrectionLinkCorrectionAdditionalInformationOtherYourFeedbackSubmitFeedbackThankyouforyourfeedbackOureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle.JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork!ExternalWebsitesNationalCenterforBiotechnologyInformation-PubMedCentral-Lipid-loweringdrugsWRITTENBYJanetL.StringerAssociateProfessorofPharmacology,BaylorCollegeofMedicine,Houston,TX.SeeArticleHistoryHypolipidemicdrug,alsocalledlipid-loweringdrug,anyagentthereducestheleveloflipidsandlipoproteins(lipid-proteincomplexes)intheblood.Lipoproteinsbindcholesterolandcanaccumulateinbloodvessels.Highlevelsofspecificlipoproteins,namely,low-densitylipoprotein(LDL)andverylow-densitylipoprotein(VLDL),havebeenassociatedwithanelevatedriskofcertainformsofcardiovasculardisease,includingcoronaryarterydisease,heartattack,andstroke.StatinsarehypolipidemicdrugsthatblocktheenzymeHMG-CoA(5-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzymeA)reductase,whichisrequiredforthesynthesisofcholesterol.Examplesofstatinsincludesimvast