What medication is associated with increased risk of pancreatitis due to its effect on triglycerides?

Fibrates are a class of medications primarily used to lower triglyceride levels in the blood. While they are effective in doing so, this mechanism of action carries an increased risk of pancreatitis, particularly in patients with very high triglyceride levels. The elevation of triglycerides can lead to an inflammatory response in the pancreas, resulting in pancreatitis.

Fibrates work by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α), which leads to increased lipolysis and the elimination of triglyceride-rich particles from plasma. However, in certain patients, this can also predispose them to developing pancreatitis, especially when triglyceride levels are significantly high prior to treatment.

In contrast, statins primarily focus on lowering LDL cholesterol and have a much lower association with pancreatitis. Thiazides are diuretics that may contribute to metabolic changes, including electrolyte imbalances, but they are not commonly linked to pancreatitis as a primary effect. Beta-blockers are used for a variety of cardiovascular conditions and can affect lipid metabolism, but they are also not recognized for increasing pancreatitis risk in the same way that fibrates do.

Thus, the specific association of fibrates with an increased risk of pancreatitis due to their influence