Common Medications To Treat High Cholesterol
If your cholesterol level is high, or if you are at risk for heart disease, your doctor may perscribe a medication to reduce your cholesterol. There are several types of medications available, each type with a different action.Statins Statins are one of the more commonly perscribed medications to reduce cholesterol. These drugs inhibits the enzyme which the liver uses to produce cholesterol, thereby slowing the production of cholesterol in the body. People at risk for developing the plaques which line the arteries, or artherosclerosis, are usually given this medication. Statins not only slow the growth of plaques, but they also can shrink existing plaques and actually make them less likely to break apart, causing stroke or heart attack. Risk factors for artherosclerosis are:High cholesterol levels;Diabetes;A family history of early-age heart attack or heart disease;Advancing age.There are several statins that are commonly perscribed. These medications have many differences, including their cholesterol-blocking ability, their side-effects, how they interact with other drugs, and their ability to reduce heart attack and stroke. Some common statins which are frequently perscribed include:Atorvastatin (Lipitor);Rosuvastatin (Crestor);Fluvastatin (Lescol);Simvastatin (Zocor);Lovastatin (Mevacor);Pravastatin (Pravachol).Most side-effects of the statins are mild, like nausea and vomiting, but one major side-effect that is very rare, is rhabdomyolysis, which can cause muscle damage and eventually kidney failure. Any muscle or joint pain experienced while taking a statin should be reported immediately to your doctor.Resins Resins are another cholesterol-lowering medication. They bind with cholesterol-containing bile acids in the intestines and are then excreted. Resins actually reduce LDL cholesterol and are often perscribed with statins for a combined effect of lowered LDL cholesterol. Currently perscribed resins include:Cholestyramine (Questran);Colestipol (Colestid);Colesevelam (WelChol).Resins have few side-effects (gas, bloating, nausea and constipation); however, they may interfer with the absorption of other medications taken at the same time.Nicotinic Acid Nicotinic acid (niacin) is a common B vitamin, which, given in therapeutic doses, reduces LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. An over-the-counter niacin tablet as a dietary supplement would not produce the same effect, and could result in serious side-effects. Common trade https://ameblo.jp/beckettgngc529/entry-12970114526.html names are:Niacin; 