The combination of 2 drug entities in one dosage form is known as a fixed-dose combination product (FDCP). For the treatment of type 2 diabetes, there are 2 products that combine a sulfonylurea with metformin, 2 that combine metformin with a thiazolidinedione, 1 that combines metformin with a Dipeptidyl-Peptidase 4 (DPP-4) Inhibitor, and 2 that combine a thiazolidinedione with a sulfonylurea. For treatment of hyperlipidemia, 2 FDCPs are available: Vytorin and Advicor. Advicor is a combination of an HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (statin) - lovastatin with an extended release formulation of niacin, while Vytorin is a combination of another statin, simvastatin, and a newer drug ezetimibe. Although the individual components of the FDCPs in this report have been shown to improve health outcomes, we believe it is still important to show whether outcomes are the same under the conditions of the FDCP where it is suggested that adherence and convenience are improved but dose adjustments are more difficult. The purpose of this review is to determine whether the purported advantages of taking 1 pill rather than 2 to treat hyperlipidemia and type 2 diabetes outweigh the potential disadvantages of not being able to adjust the doses of the two drugs separately.
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