ciprofibrate at a glance
Medicine class
Fibrate lipid-lowering treatment
Licensed role
Severe hypertriglyceridaemia or mixed hyperlipidaemia when a statin cannot be used
How it is taken
An oral tablet used alongside dietary and other lifestyle measures
Important warning
Unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness requires prompt assessment
What is ciprofibrate used for?
Ciprofibrate is licensed as an addition to diet and other non-medicine measures for:
Severe hypertriglyceridaemia, with or without low HDL cholesterol.
Mixed hyperlipidaemia when a statin is contraindicated or not tolerated.
How does ciprofibrate work?
Ciprofibrate activates PPAR-alpha, a receptor involved in fatty-acid and lipoprotein metabolism. This promotes clearance of triglyceride-rich particles, lowering VLDL, triglycerides and associated cholesterol; LDL may also fall and HDL may rise.
ciprofibrate preparations and strengths
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 100 mg
How to take ciprofibrate
Swallow the tablet by mouth as prescribed. Continue any recommended diet, exercise or weight-management measures.
The selected tablet contains lactose.
Dizziness, drowsiness or fatigue can occur; do not drive or use machinery if affected.
ciprofibrate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Headache, dizziness, drowsiness or vertigo
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, indigestion or abdominal pain
- Muscle pain
- Rash or hair loss
- Fatigue
Get urgent medical advice
- Unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, cramps or weakness, which may indicate myopathy or rhabdomyolysis
- Breathing difficulty, facial or throat swelling, or other signs of a severe allergic reaction
- Jaundice or other symptoms of liver injury
- Persistent cough or breathlessness suggesting lung inflammation or scarring
- Severe upper-right abdominal pain suggesting gallstones
- Unusual bruising or bleeding suggesting a low platelet count
ciprofibrate in pregnancy
The selected product is contraindicated during pregnancy because human pregnancy data are unavailable and toxicity occurred at high exposure in animal studies. Anyone planning pregnancy or who becomes pregnant while taking ciprofibrate should contact their prescriber promptly.
ciprofibrate while breastfeeding
The selected product is contraindicated while breastfeeding because there are no human lactation data. The need for lipid-lowering treatment and suitable alternatives should be reviewed with a prescriber or specialist service.
ciprofibrate interactions
Check all prescribed, non-prescription and herbal products with a pharmacist or prescriber. Important interactions include:
Other fibrates
Concurrent use is contraindicated because it increases the risk of severe muscle injury and rhabdomyolysis.
Statins
The combination can increase the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis and requires careful specialist assessment.
Warfarin and other oral anticoagulants
Ciprofibrate can enhance anticoagulation, so closer INR monitoring and anticoagulant adjustment may be required.
Oral diabetes medicines
Common questions about ciprofibrate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is ciprofibrate a statin?
No. Ciprofibrate is a fibrate that alters fatty-acid and lipoprotein metabolism through PPAR-alpha.
Why might ciprofibrate be prescribed instead of a statin?
It is licensed for mixed hyperlipidaemia when a statin is contraindicated or not tolerated, and for severe hypertriglyceridaemia alongside lifestyle measures.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.