Which medication is used to inhibit intestinal cholesterol absorption?

Ezetimibe is specifically designed to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. It works by targeting a particular protein (Niemann-Pick C1-like 1, NPC1L1) that plays a crucial role in the uptake of cholesterol from the intestinal lumen into the bloodstream. By blocking this protein, ezetimibe effectively reduces the amount of cholesterol that enters the body, leading to lower total cholesterol levels and, importantly, decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is often referred to as "bad" cholesterol.

In contrast, the other medications listed primarily target cholesterol levels through different mechanisms. Simvastatin and lovastatin are statins that work by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase in the liver, which reduces cholesterol production. Fenofibrate is a fibrate that primarily works to lower triglyceride levels and can modestly increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, but it does not inhibit intestinal cholesterol absorption like ezetimibe does. Therefore, ezetimibe is the most appropriate choice for directly inhibiting intestinal cholesterol absorption.