Cholestin is a red yeast used in traditional Chinese medicine, which may have some ability to reduce cholesterol levels. Side effects are said to include mild digestive problems. It appears to be safe, but more studies are needed. Lifibrol is an investigative drug that appears to lower total cholesterol and LDL levels as effectively as the statins. Its effect on HDL and triglycerides are not clear.
Plasmapheresis is a blood-filtering procedure that is used to dramatically reduce triglycerides.
A procedure called LDL apheresis is used to specifically remove LDL and may be used in patients with severe hereditary forms of high cholesterol that does not respond to other therapies. In one study of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, this procedure produced a significantly lower number of adverse heart events than other treatments. The process takes about three hours. If not performed regularly, its benefits last only about two weeks. People using this procedure are still advised to maintain a healthy diet and stay on any prescribed medications to control cholesterol, even if they do not appear to be very effective.