What is the mechanism of action of ezetimibe in managing hyperlipidemia?

A. Inhibits cholesterol absorption in the small intestine: Ezetimibe works by selectively blocking the Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) transporter in the small intestine, reducing the absorption of dietary and biliary cholesterol. B. Increases bile acid excretion in the liver: This mechanism describes how bile acid sequestrants like cholestyramine work. These drugs bind bile acids in the intestine, promoting their excretion and forcing the liver to use more cholesterol to produce new bile acids. C. Decreases triglyceride synthesis in the liver: This is the primary action of fibrates such as gemfibrozil, which activate PPAR-alpha to decrease hepatic triglyceride production and increase lipolysis of VLDL. D. Enhances the breakdown of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the bloodstream: This mechanism aligns with statins, which upregulate LDL receptors on hepatocytes to increase LDL clearance.