Welchol

Hyperlipidemia, Physical Activity, Type 2 Diabetes + 3 more

Treatment

2 FDA approvals

20 Active Studies for Welchol

What is Welchol

Colesevelam

The Generic name of this drug

Treatment Summary

Colesevelam is a medication that lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. It works by binding bile acids in the intestine, which are substances made when cholesterol is broken down in the body. Along with diet and exercise changes, colesevelam can help reduce the amount of cholesterol and fatty substances in the blood.

Welchol

is the brand name

image of different drug pills on a surface

Welchol Overview & Background

Brand Name

Generic Name

First FDA Approval

How many FDA approvals?

Welchol

Colesevelam

2000

42

Approved as Treatment by the FDA

Colesevelam, commonly known as Welchol, is approved by the FDA for 2 uses including Hyperlipidemia and High Cholesterol .

Hyperlipidemia

Used to treat Hyperlipidemias in combination with null

High Cholesterol

Used to treat Hyperlipidemias in combination with null

Effectiveness

How Welchol Affects Patients

Colesevelam helps to reduce levels of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B (a protein associated with LDL cholesterol) in the body. High levels of these substances are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. It has been shown that low levels of HDL cholesterol also lead to heart disease. Colesevelam can be taken with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor medicines to reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels even more than either drug taken alone.

How Welchol works in the body

Colesevelam stops bile acids from being reabsorbed in the intestines. This causes the body to convert cholesterol into bile acid, and then clear LDL cholesterol from the blood. This process may also increase or keep the same the amount of triglycerides in your blood, resulting in lower levels of LDL cholesterol.

When to interrupt dosage

The extent of Welchol is contingent upon the diagnosed affliction, including Type 2 Diabetes, Hypercholesterolemia and Hyperlipidemia. The measure of dosage is determined by the technique of delivery as presented in the table below.

Condition

Dosage

Administration

Physical Activity

3750.0 mg, , 625.0 mg, 1875.0 mg

, Oral, For suspension, For suspension - Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Powder, for suspension, Powder, for suspension - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, coated, Tablet, coated - Oral, Bar, chewable, Bar, chewable - Oral

Type 2 Diabetes

3750.0 mg, , 625.0 mg, 1875.0 mg

, Oral, For suspension, For suspension - Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Powder, for suspension, Powder, for suspension - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, coated, Tablet, coated - Oral, Bar, chewable, Bar, chewable - Oral

High Cholesterol

3750.0 mg, , 625.0 mg, 1875.0 mg

, Oral, For suspension, For suspension - Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Powder, for suspension, Powder, for suspension - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, coated, Tablet, coated - Oral, Bar, chewable, Bar, chewable - Oral

Diet

3750.0 mg, , 625.0 mg, 1875.0 mg

, Oral, For suspension, For suspension - Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Powder, for suspension, Powder, for suspension - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, coated, Tablet, coated - Oral, Bar, chewable, Bar, chewable - Oral

Hypercholesterolemia

3750.0 mg, , 625.0 mg, 1875.0 mg

, Oral, For suspension, For suspension - Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Powder, for suspension, Powder, for suspension - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, coated, Tablet, coated - Oral, Bar, chewable, Bar, chewable - Oral

Hyperlipidemia

3750.0 mg, , 625.0 mg, 1875.0 mg

, Oral, For suspension, For suspension - Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Powder, for suspension, Powder, for suspension - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, coated, Tablet, coated - Oral, Bar, chewable, Bar, chewable - Oral

Warnings

There are 20 known major drug interactions with Welchol.

Common Welchol Drug Interactions

Drug Name

Risk Level

Description

Mycophenolate mofetil

Major

Colesevelam can cause a decrease in the absorption of Mycophenolate mofetil resulting in a reduced serum concentration and potentially a decrease in efficacy.

Mycophenolic acid

Major

Colesevelam can cause a decrease in the absorption of Mycophenolic acid resulting in a reduced serum concentration and potentially a decrease in efficacy.

Raloxifene

Major

Colesevelam can cause a decrease in the absorption of Raloxifene resulting in a reduced serum concentration and potentially a decrease in efficacy.

(R)-warfarin

Minor

Colesevelam can cause a decrease in the absorption of (R)-warfarin resulting in a reduced serum concentration and potentially a decrease in efficacy.

(S)-Warfarin

Minor

Colesevelam can cause a decrease in the absorption of (S)-Warfarin resulting in a reduced serum concentration and potentially a decrease in efficacy.

Welchol Toxicity & Overdose Risk

Overdosing on colesevelam can cause eye irritation, constipation, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Because the drug is not absorbed, the risk of serious side effects is very low. Taking more than 4.5 grams of colesevelam in one day has not been tested.

image of a doctor in a lab doing drug, clinical research

Welchol Novel Uses: Which Conditions Have a Clinical Trial Featuring Welchol?

184 active studies are currently being conducted to explore the potential of Welchol in improving Hyperlipidemia, Type 2 Diabetes and Hypercholesterolemia.

Condition

Clinical Trials

Trial Phases

Hyperlipidemia

0 Actively Recruiting

High Cholesterol

18 Actively Recruiting

Phase 2, Phase 3, Early Phase 1, Not Applicable

Diet

4 Actively Recruiting

Not Applicable, Phase 1

Physical Activity

25 Actively Recruiting

Not Applicable, Phase 1, Phase 2

Hypercholesterolemia

4 Actively Recruiting

Phase 1, Phase 3

Type 2 Diabetes

158 Actively Recruiting

Not Applicable, Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Early Phase 1

Welchol Reviews: What are patients saying about Welchol?

5

Patient Review

12/1/2019

Welchol for High Cholesterol

I take a generic cholesterol medication after lunch. I'm waiting to see what my blood tests say, but so far there haven't been any negative interactions with my vitamins.

4.3

Patient Review

8/30/2015

Welchol for High Cholesterol

I've been taking this drug for over a year and, even though it's working, I'm disappointed that my insurance company won't let me take Vytorin or Crestor anymore.

4

Patient Review

3/20/2016

Welchol for High Cholesterol

My cardiologist recommended Welchol to help with my fibromyalgia as well as lower my cholesterol since statins made my muscles hurt. This drug has helped me in ways I didn't even expect, like solving digestion problems. Now I don't get heartburn or GERD, and food gets digested much more quickly. The only downside is the expense; even taking just two a day is pretty pricey.

3.7

Patient Review

7/18/2016

Welchol for High Cholesterol

Though this drug is effective, it's exorbitantly priced. It seems like the manufacturer has us over a barrel, and there's no generic in sight. This is my only alternative to statins, which I can't take. Even with Medicare Part D coverage, the copay is now nearly $500 for a 90-day supply. Where is the extra help when seniors need it?

3.7

Patient Review

3/23/2015

Welchol for Heterozygous Inherited High Blood Cholesterol

3.7

Patient Review

5/28/2015

Welchol for High Cholesterol

Overall, I didn't have a good experience with this medication. I felt weak, nauseous, and generally unwell while taking it.

3.3

Patient Review

7/22/2016

Welchol for High Cholesterol

The pills are large, hard to take and expensive, but this drug has reduced my cholesterol. The only side effect I've experienced is occasionally feeling indigestion at night.

3.3

Patient Review

12/23/2015

Welchol for High Cholesterol

It took me a while to find a way to take this that didn't make me want to gag, but mixing it in the blender with apple juice did the trick.

3

Patient Review

7/5/2015

Welchol for High Cholesterol

This drug has been effective in lowering my cholesterol numbers. It can be a bit of a pain to take with everything else I take, but I work around it by taking this four hours before and after I take the other stuff. One thing that keeps happening to me, though, is that I keep getting bladder infections.

3

Patient Review

6/8/2016

Welchol for High Cholesterol

I take this to manage my high cholesterol. It's expensive, but Optum RX sent a letter saying a generic may be available in the next 6 months. This medication makes me very tired and I've been having back and side pains, but hopefully it will be worth it in the long run.

2.7

Patient Review

4/8/2015

Welchol for High Cholesterol

2.3

Patient Review

10/24/2015

Welchol for High Cholesterol

I've been struggling to manage my cholesterol for years. Statins caused me a lot of pain, and as someone who already has multiple sclerosis, I can't afford any more discomfort. However, after being on Welchol for just over a year, my numbers have improved significantly. I take it alongside Zetia and wouldn't recommend either without the other. It's a bit of a hassle having to take six pills every day, but it's worth it given the results.

2

Patient Review

7/21/2015

Welchol for High Cholesterol

I've been taking Welchol for a while now, and I'm getting concerned because my doctor hasn't checked to see if it's working.

1.3

Patient Review

5/4/2015

Welchol for High Cholesterol

I had to stop taking statins because of the nasty side effects, so I've been on Welchol for two months now. I haven't had a second blood test yet, but I have been having headaches and eye problems. The powder mixes best with orange juice using a whisk.

1

Patient Review

4/20/2016

Welchol for High Amount of Fats in the Blood

I saw a drastic and dangerous increase in my triglyceride levels after only two months of taking this medication.
image of drug pills surrounding a glass of water symbolizing drug consumption

Patient Q&A Section about welchol

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

What are the side effects of Welchol?

"T

The following are symptoms of the flu: constipation, nausea, indigestion, weakness or lack of energy, muscle aches or pain, sore throat."

Answered by AI

What is the medication Welchol used for?

"This medication is most effective when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise regime. lower cholesterol levels reduces the risk of developing heart disease, and can also prevent strokes and heart attacks."

Answered by AI

Is Welchol used to treat diarrhea?

"Welchol is a prescription medication that eliminates excess bile acid in the intestines and reduces cholesterol. It has also been studied for its effects on reducing diarrhea in patients with IBS-D."

Answered by AI

Is Welchol a statin drug?

"Welchol binds with bile acids and removes them from the body. This causes the liver to use LDL cholesterol to make more bile acids. Fewer bile acids in your blood results in lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Welchol lowers "bad" cholesterol in a different way to statins. Statins work in the liver, but Welchol works in the intestines. Welchol is a "bile acid sequestrant" which is indicated to lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol. Bile acids are needed to help digest fat. Welchol binds with bile acids and removes them from the body. This causes the liver to use LDL cholesterol to make more bile acids. Fewer bile acids in your blood results in lower LDL cholesterol levels."

Answered by AI

Clinical Trials for Welchol

Image of Faculty of Health Sciences in Winnipeg, Canada.

Saskatoon Berries for Type 2 Diabetes

18 - 74
All Sexes
Winnipeg, Canada

Diabetes becomes epidemic in worldwide countries. Diabetes Canada indicated that 30% of adults in Manitoba are diabetes or prediabetes. Nine out of ten diabetic patients are type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is characterized by insulin resistance and obesity. Uncontrolled diabetes leads to serious consequences including heart attack, stroke, chronic renal failure, liver failure, blindness and low limb amputation. Most of hypoglycemic medications have certain side effects. Natural foods or nutraceuticals with hypoglycemic potential are expected to provide a safer management for diabetic patients. Saskatoon berry is a popular fruit in Canadian Prairie and Northern states in USA. Our previous studies demonstrated Saskatoon berry (SB) powder attenuated hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, inflammation, liver steatosis and gut dysbiosis in diet-induced insulin resistant mice, a model for T2D. The findings of the glucose and lipid lowering or liver protective effects of SB powder have been supported by another group in Australia in high fat fed rats. Our preliminary studies in 20 healthy subjects demonstrated that dried whole SB (40 g/day for 10 weeks) significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose, total and LDL-cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and increased plasma glucagon-like peptide compared to baseline, which was associated with increased intake of total fiber and decreased intake of saturated fat. The changes in metabolic and vascular variables significantly correlated with the alterations in gut microbiota The combination of findings suggest that SB is good candidate of prebiotic functional food as a supplemental remedy for reducing the risk for metabolic syndrome and preventing or managing T2D. The effect of Saskatoon berry and its products on metabolic disorders have not been studied in diabetic subjects. We propose to examine the effects of oral administration of freeze-dried whole SB on glucose metabolism, insulin resistance and gut microbiota in untreated prediabetes and new type 2 diabetic patients compared to a control dried fruit in a randomized controlled trial.

Waitlist Available
Dietary Supplement

Faculty of Health Sciences

Image of Central Research Associates - Flourish - PPDS in Birmingham, United States.

CX11 for Type 2 Diabetes

18 - 75
All Sexes
Birmingham, AL

This study is testing whether a new medication called CX11 works and is safe for participants with type 2 diabetes who have not reached good blood sugar control while taking a steady dose of metformin, with or without a steady dose of an SGLT2 inhibitor, for at least 90 days. The study is being done at multiple medical centers. Participants are assigned by chance (randomized) to different groups, and neither the participants nor the study staff know which group they're in (double-blind). The groups are compared side by side (parallel), and some participants will receive inactive pills (placebo) to help measure the true effect of the study drug. After screening, participants will be randomly placed into one of six groups, with equal chances of being in any group. Each group will receive a different dose of CX11 or a placebo. Treatment will last 24 weeks. After that, all participants will have a 2-week follow-up period to check on safety.

Phase 2
Waitlist Available

Central Research Associates - Flourish - PPDS (+29 Sites)

Corxel Pharmaceuticals

Image of University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

Pharmacist-led Care for Diabetes

18+
All Sexes
Edmonton, Canada

As of 2024, nine percent of Albertans are living with Type 2 diabetes, which increases their risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure. Unfortunately, less than half of patients have controlled Type 2 diabetes. We are well aware of the factors which lead to worsening diabetes, but need to give people more support to help them manage their diabetes. Pharmacists are respected health care professionals who are often easier to see that doctors and can help people with diabetes to stay as healthy as possible. This research project aims to see whether a pharmacist service can help improve diabetes management in people with type 2 diabetes compared to usual care from their family physician or nurse practitionner. The potential impact of this project is to empower people with type 2 diabetes to understand their condition, it's management, and to achieve target blood sugar levels, which will ultimately reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications.

Recruiting
Has No Placebo

University of Alberta

Ross Tsuyuki, BScPharm, PharmD, MSc

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Adaptive Dietary Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes

18+
All Sexes
New York, NY

The investigators will examine the feasibility, acceptability, and effect of an adaptive dietary intervention over 24 weeks (12-week intervention, 12-week follow-up) among Asian Americans with Type 2 diabetes. Participants (N=120; 60 Chinese Americans and 60 Vietnamese Americans) will be 2:1 randomized to one of two arms: adaptive dietary intervention or standard of care (SC). The intervention will begin with continued glucose monitoring (CGM) use only during weeks 0-4. At week 4, participants who achieve the glycemic control goal (at least an 8% increase in time in range \[TIR\] from baseline) will continue with the CGM alone during weeks 4-12 ("CGM Alone"); otherwise, culturally and linguistically adapted glucose excursion minimization (GEM) will be augmented with CGM ("CGM-GEM").

Waitlist Available
Has No Placebo

NYU Langone Health

Yaguang Zheng, PhD, RN

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We made a collection of clinical trials featuring Welchol, we think they might fit your search criteria.
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MetSense Risk Flag for Type 2 Diabetes

18+
All Sexes
Pleasanton, CA

People with serious mental illness have high risk for type 2 diabetes due to multiple risk factors, including the metabolic side effects of psychotropic medications that are used to treat these conditions. Type 2 diabetes is preventable through lifestyle and pharmacological interventions, but many people with serious mental illness do not receive regular screening for type 2 diabetes risk. In many health care settings, clinical pharmacists are increasingly managing patients with serious mental illness and have expertise in monitoring the metabolic side effects of psychotropic medications. This study evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of using a diabetes prediction model that is based on electronic health record data (the MetSense risk flag) to alert clinical pharmacists about patients who are at high diabetes risk, prompting these clinicians to prioritize diabetes risk management services.

Waitlist Available
Has No Placebo

KPNC Division of Research

Esti Iturralde, PhD

Image of University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, United States.

Tailored DPP for Prediabetes

17 - 25
All Sexes
Los Angeles, CA

The goal of this study is to enhance reach and uptake of diabetes prevention among young adults, with a focus on recruiting underserved and high-need students who face additional challenges, including food and financial insecurity. The specific aims are: Aim 1 - Evaluate the efficacy of an AYA-tailored version of the UC DPP for mitigating type 2 diabetes risk (i.e., weight change) in a pre/post pilot trial. The investigators hypothesize that the AYA-tailored intervention will be effective at producing 5% weight loss from baseline to program completion (at 9-months). Aim 2 - Assess the feasibility and acceptability of an AYA-tailored version of the UC DPP program. The investigators hypothesize that it will be feasible to recruit the desired number of participants given proposed innovative outreach strategies, and that the AYA-tailored intervention will be deemed acceptable to participants both qualitatively and in regards to their retention in the program at rates similar to the larger UC DPP. The investigators will recruit 80 UCLA undergraduate students. Participants will be asked to complete a brief screening online form to assess eligibility and to collect contact information. The PI and/or Research Assistants (RAs) will reach out to eligible participants to obtain informed consent and enroll them in the pilot trial. The investigators will randomize participants to the tailored DPP cohort vs control cohort. Control participants will be offered the opportunity to participate in the tailored DPP in the following academic year. The tailored DPP intervention will be online and asynchronously. Participants will be asked to complete the intervention lessons on their own time. Each lesson typically takes on average 15 minutes to complete. Control group will receive each intervention materials via e-mail for participants to review on their own time and will receive acceptability surveys. The interventions for the control group will be remote. A research assistant will meet with control participants via Zoom to explain the intervention materials. Control group will receive access to a study habits intervention, alcohol use intervention, and financial literacy intervention. At the end of each quarter (Fall, Winter, and Spring), both control and intervention participants will receive an email with a unique link to a brief REDCap survey to ascertain acceptability of sessions/lessons. Furthermore, participants will complete baseline and 9-month follow-up assessments. Participants will complete a 30 minute questionnaire and height/weight measurements will be collected by a RA. Participants will be asked to self-report weight and physical activity at the end of the fall and winter quarter; data will be collected via brief REDCap survey.

Recruiting
Has No Placebo

University of California, Los Angeles

Lauren E Wisk, PhD

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We made a collection of clinical trials featuring Welchol, we think they might fit your search criteria.
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