What is the primary drug class used to treat hyperlipidemia?

Statins are primarily used to treat hyperlipidemia due to their proven efficacy in lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, which is a key target in managing hyperlipidemia and reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. They work by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme crucial in the cholesterol synthesis pathway in the liver. This results not only in lowered levels of LDL cholesterol but also has beneficial effects on reducing triglycerides and increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels to a lesser extent.

Statins have a well-established risk-benefit profile, supported by numerous clinical trials demonstrating their ability to decrease the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events in people with elevated cholesterol levels. Their role as first-line therapy has solidified their place in guidelines for managing patients with high cholesterol.

Other drug classes, while useful, do not match the overall effectiveness and breadth of impact that statins have demonstrated in both lowering cholesterol and improving cardiovascular outcomes.