What Is Fenofibrate? And Does it Help to Treat COVID-19 Infections?

High cholesterol is a common health condition that at least 12% of American adults ages 20 and older will face. And that’s a cause for concern, given it can raise your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

So what can you do? You could try lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and exercise. But you may also need medication, depending on how high your risk is for heart-related problems. Currently, there are many medications for high cholesterol, with the first-choice treatment often being a statin.

But sometimes, statins aren’t enough or cause bothersome side effects. In this case, you may need another cholesterol medication. One possible choice is fenofibrate. Here, we’ll discuss what you should know about fenofibrate if your healthcare provider has prescribed it for you.

What is fenofibrate used for?

Fenofibrate (Tricor) is a cholesterol medication. It's been around for many years and is FDA-approved to treat cholesterol-related health conditions. Fenofibrate can help lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and raise “good” cholesterol (HDL). It can also be used to help lower high triglycerides (fatty substances in the blood).

How does fenofibrate treat cholesterol issues?

Fenofibrate works by helping to break down certain types of cholesterol in the body. This medication also helps break down triglycerides in the blood. However, when a person’s triglycerides are very high and their LDL is on the lower side, starting fenofibrate can sometimes cause their LDL to go up instead. This may limit when a healthcare provider is able to prescribe fenofibrate for a person.

Keep in mind, treating cholesterol problems with medications alone may not be successful. Many medications are meant to be used alongside eating a healthier diet and being more active. These changes combined with cholesterol medications can help improve cholesterol levels.

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What other treatments are often combined with fenofibrate?

Fenofibrates aren’t a first-choice treatment for high cholesterol. They're usually added to other medications that haven’t worked well enough on their own. They’re also recommended for people who have very high triglyceride levels (500 mg/dL or higher). Most other cholesterol medications aren’t effective enough on their own to lower triglycerides this high.

Current guidelines recommend combining statins, like atorvastatin (Lipitor), with fenofibrate when treating high triglycerides. However, this combination can raise the risk of muscle pain. This risk is even higher for older adults and those with hypothyroidism, kidney problems, or diabetes.

Does fenofibrate help treat or prevent COVID-19 infections?

A 2021 study suggested fenofibrate as a possible medication that could help prevent COVID-19 infections. Researchers thought fenofibrate might stop the COVID-19 virus from entering the body. However, this research was only done on cells in a lab. Clinical trials haven’t been done yet to test whether fenofibrate can actually prevent COVID-19.

So while in theory, fenofibrate could play a role in preventing COVID-19, we don’t know this for sure yet. The results of this study should be applied to future research, so we can provide a more concrete answer. For right now, vaccines and social distancing remain the best protection against COVID-19.

How effective is fenofibrate for cholesterol problems?

Treating high cholesterol is very important to lower your risk of heart attack or stroke. But fenofibrate hasn’t been shown to help prevent these complications. This is why it’s not a first-choice medication for lowering cholesterol, as discussed earlier.

A large 2010 study compared people with Type 2 diabetes taking simvastatin (Zocor) to those taking simvastatin and fenofibrate. Researchers found no significant differences in the number of heart attacks or strokes between the two groups. This was also found to be the case in other clinical trials.

Because of these studies, fenofibrate is now most often prescribed to help lower triglycerides. It’s most preferred for younger adults with very high triglycerides. In these instances, fenofibrate can help prevent pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas). Pancreatitis is a possible complication of untreated high triglyceride levels.

What are the side effects of fenofibrate?

Besides the risk of muscle pain mentioned earlier, fenofibrate can also cause the following side effects:

• Changes to liver blood tests

• Breathing problems

• Stomach pain

• Back pain

• Headaches

• Runny nose

• Nausea

• Constipation

Although liver blood test changes are common, they can be an early warning sign of liver damage. Your healthcare provider will likely order regular blood tests while taking fenofibrate to make sure this isn’t happening to you. If you have a history of liver problems, this may not be the right medication for you.

Fenofibrate is also known to cause gallstones in some people. These are hard stones that form in the gallbladder. This can lead to severe stomach pain, vomiting, and a fever. If you experience severe stomach pain while taking fenofibrate, contact your healthcare provider. Let your provider know if you have a history of gallbladder problems before starting this medication.

These aren’t the only side effects that can happen with fenofibrate. Be sure to discuss these risks with your healthcare provider before taking it.

How long do you need to take fenofibrate?

How long you take fenofibrate may depend on why your healthcare provider is prescribing it. But many people take this medication long term. Conditions like high cholesterol and high triglycerides are often chronic.

Discuss this question with your healthcare provider. They’ll be able to give you a more accurate answer based on your medical history and medication response.

What medications are similar to fenofibrate?

Another medication that is very similar to fenofibrate is gemfibrozil (Lopid). But it tends to cause more stomach-related side effects, like upset stomach and diarrhea. And gemfibrozil can severely interact with statins. So it wouldn’t be the best option if your healthcare provider wants you to also take one of those medications.

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Written by:

Timothy Aungst, PharmD

Timothy Aungst, PharmD, has worked in pharmacy practice for the past decade with different roles and responsibilities. He has served as an associate professor of pharmacy practice for almost a decade, a clinical pharmacist in outpatient cardiology management, and now in home healthcare.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

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