Lipfendra (enlicitide) is a prescription medicine used along with diet and exercise to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in certain people with high cholesterol. It belongs to a class of medicines called PCSK9 inhibitors.
High LDL cholesterol usually does not cause symptoms, but over time, it can raise your risk of heart attack and stroke. Lowering your LDL cholesterol is an important way to help protect your heart and blood vessels.
Research shows that lowering LDL cholesterol with certain medicines, including statins and injectable PCSK9 inhibitors, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. Whether Lipfendra reduces this risk is not yet known but is being studied.
If your health care provider prescribes Lipfendra, you may have questions about how to take it, possible side effects, and whether it interacts with other medicines. Below are answers to some of the most common questions.
How Do I Take Lipfendra?
Take Lipfendra exactly as your health care provider tells you to. The typical dosage is one 20-mg tablet by mouth once each morning.
Lipfendra has a few special instructions for how to take it:
- Take it on an empty stomach with water, black coffee, or plain tea.
- Wait at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything other than water, black coffee, or plain tea.
- Swallow the tablet whole. Do not split, crush, or chew it.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, as long as it is at least 30 minutes before your next food or drink (other than water, black coffee, or plain tea). Do not take two doses on the same day. After taking the missed dose, wait for at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything else.
Do not stop taking Lipfendra unless your health care provider tells you to, even if you feel well. High cholesterol usually does not cause symptoms, so you may not notice any difference when the medicine is working.
What Are the Most Common Side Effects of Lipfendra?
Overall, Lipfendra was well tolerated in clinical studies. In a large study of adults with high cholesterol, side effects occurred at about the same rate in people taking Lipfendra and those taking a placebo (a tablet with no active medicine). Similar numbers of people stopped treatment because of side effects in both groups.
In a smaller study of people with an inherited type of high cholesterol, people taking Lipfendra reported diarrhea and dizziness more often than those taking placebo. Even so, these side effects affected fewer than 1 in 10 people taking the medicine.
Tell your health care provider if you have side effects that are severe, bothersome, or do not go away. They may suggest ways to help manage them or decide whether another treatment would be a better choice.
Managing Lipfendra Side Effects
The following tips may help prevent or manage some Lipfendra side effects.
Diarrhea
In one study, about 7% of people taking Lipfendra experienced diarrhea compared with about 2% of people taking placebo.
Possible symptoms include loose or watery stools, stomach pain, and an urgent need to use the bathroom.
Mild diarrhea often improves on its own in a short time. To help manage diarrhea at home:
- Drink plenty of fluids to help prevent dehydration.
- Eat bland foods, such as rice, bananas, or toast.
- Avoid greasy, spicy, or high-fiber foods that may worsen symptoms.
- Ask your health care provider whether an over-the-counter (OTC) antidiarrheal medicine is safe for you.
Contact your health care provider if diarrhea is severe, lasts more than a few days, keeps coming back, or causes signs of dehydration, such as dizziness, extreme thirst, or very dark urine.
Dizziness
Dizziness affected about 9% of study participants taking Lipfendra compared with about 4% of those taking placebo.
Possible symptoms include feeling lightheaded, unsteady, or fainting.
The following tips may help prevent or ease dizziness:
- Sit or lie down right away if you begin to feel dizzy.
- Stand up slowly after sitting or lying down.
- Stay well hydrated unless your health care provider has told you to limit fluids.
Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel dizzy. Contact your health care provider if dizziness worsens, causes you to faint or fall, or keeps coming back.
Other side effects are possible. Contact your health care provider if you think you are having a side effect from Lipfendra, even if it is not listed here.
Does Lipfendra Interact With Other Medications?
Lipfendra is not expected to cause drug interactions. Studies found that Lipfendra did not significantly change the levels of several commonly used medicines, and it is also unlikely to interact with liver enzymes or transport proteins that process many other medicines.
That said, it is still important to tell your health care provider and pharmacist about everything you take before starting Lipfendra, including:
- Prescription medicines
- Over-the-counter medicines
- Vitamins
- Herbal products and dietary supplements
Sharing this information helps your health care team check for possible interactions and make sure your medicines can be taken safely together.
Should I Continue My Other Cholesterol Medicines With Lipfendra?
Most people who take Lipfendra continue taking their other cholesterol medicines. In a large clinical study of Lipfendra, almost everyone was already taking a statin, and many participants were also taking ezetimibe or another cholesterol-lowering medicine. Lipfendra was added to these treatments rather than used alone.
Do not stop taking a statin or any other cholesterol medicine unless your health care provider tells you to. They will prescribe a cholesterol-lowering treatment plan based on your cholesterol levels, your risk of heart attack or stroke, and how well you tolerate your medicines.
Lipfendra can be taken at the same time as your other medicines. However, as explained above, Lipfendra should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning with water, black coffee, or plain tea. After taking Lipfendra, wait for at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything other than water, black coffee, or plain tea.
What Should You Eat While Taking Lipfendra?
To help Lipfendra get properly absorbed, it should be taken on an empty stomach with water, black coffee, or plain tea. Wait for at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything else.
There are no specific foods you must avoid while taking Lipfendra. However, the medicine works best when it is combined with a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Continue following the diet plan recommended by your health care provider, or consider consulting a registered dietitian for personalized guidance.
A diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes, fiber, and healthy fats can help lower cholesterol. It is also helpful to limit foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, and ultraprocessed ingredients.
Engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking your medicines as prescribed can all work together to help improve your cholesterol levels and support long-term heart health.
