Bile Acid Sequestrant drugs compared

Compare all 5 Bile Acid Sequestrant drugs side by side, used for conditions such as coronary artery disease, diarrhea, enterocolitis, pseudomembranous. They share one FDA-defined mechanism but differ in approved uses, prescription status, brand-vs-generic options, price, and FDA recall-safety record — which our independent rating scores. The highest-rated is cholestyramine.

5 of 5 drugs in this class carry a pharmaranks safety score, ranging 60–70 out of 100 — computed from FDA recall records, not from reviews.

Rated against independent sources·Last updated June 7, 2026·How we rate

Top-rated bile acid sequestrant: 1. Cholestyramine · 2. Colestipol Hydrochloride · 3. Colesevelam Hydrochloride

Bile Acid Sequestrant drugs compared side by side, with pharmaranks' FDA recall-safety rating
Drug	Generic	Form	Status	Used for	Safety ratingFDA recall-based	Pharmacy pays
Cholestyramine	—	Suspension	Prescription	—	70/100	$20
Colestipol Hydrochloride	—	Suspension	Prescription	Coronary Artery Disease, Diarrhea	64/100	$20
Colesevelam Hydrochloride	—	Suspension	Prescription	Coronary Artery Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2	60/100	$8
Colestid	Colestipol Hydrochloride	Suspension	Prescription	Coronary Artery Disease, Diarrhea	60/100	$20
Flavored Colestid	Colestipol Hydrochloride	Suspension	Prescription	Coronary Artery Disease, Diarrhea	60/100	$20

The safety rating column is unique to pharmaranks — an independent 0–100 score from FDA regulatory recall data. Higher is safer. Not medical advice.

Best bile acid sequestrant by condition

for coronary artery disease for diarrhea for pseudomembranous enterocolitis for hypercholesterolemia for hyperlipoproteinemias for hypertriglyceridemia

Full ranking · 5 drugs

Frequently asked questions

What is the Bile Acid Sequestrant drug class?

Bile Acid Sequestrant is an FDA Established Pharmacologic Class (EPC) — a group of drugs that share a mechanism of action. pharmaranks lists 5 Bile Acid Sequestrant products, each independently rated.

Are all Bile Acid Sequestrant drugs the same?

No. Bile Acid Sequestrant drugs share the same core mechanism — that is why they sit in one FDA class — but they differ in their approved uses, available forms, whether they are prescription or over-the-counter, brand-vs-generic options and price, and their FDA recall-safety record.

What conditions do Bile Acid Sequestrant drugs treat?

Per NIH RxClass drug-classification data, Bile Acid Sequestrant drugs are used for conditions including coronary artery disease, diarrhea, enterocolitis, pseudomembranous, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipoproteinemias, hypertriglyceridemia.

Which Bile Acid Sequestrant drug is best-rated?

By our independent rating, cholestyramine currently ranks highest among Bile Acid Sequestrant drugs. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data — always consult a professional.

Sources: the Bile Acid Sequestrant class definition and its member drugs come from the U.S. NLM RxClass (Established Pharmacologic Class). Ratings are pharmaranks’ independent FDA recall-safety analysis.