Which Medicines Lower “Bad” (LDL) Cholesterol?

When you have high cholesterol, the first thing to do is change your diet and fitness: less saturated fat, no trans fat, less sugar, and more activity. If that doesn’t bring down your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol enough, your doctor may suggest that you also take medicine to help out. (You’ll still need to keep up those lifestyle habits.)There are several different types of prescription drugs that lower LDL. Could you get to know what each of them does?

The Most Common Cholesterol Meds: Statins

These are usually the first type of drugs that doctors prescribe to lower LDL. They also lower triglycerides, which are another type of blood fat, and mildly raise your “good” (HDL) cholesterol.

  • Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
  • Fluvastatin (Lescol)
  • Lovastatin
  • Pitavastatin (Livalo)
  • Pravastatin (Pravachol)
  • Rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor)
  • Simvastatin (Zocor)

Studies show that statins lower the chance of a “cardiovascular event” such as a heart attack.

Side effects can include intestinal problems, liver damage (rare), and muscle inflammation. According to the FDA, high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes may also be more likely with statins, although the risk is “small” and the benefits outweigh the risks.

Statins drugs may also interact with other medications you take. Your doctor should check on that first. Some people who take statins have reported memory loss and confusion. The FDA is looking into those reports and notes that, in general, the symptoms weren’t serious and were gone within a few weeks after the person stopped taking the drug.It would be best if you avoided grapefruit and grapefruit juice when you take statins. Grapefruit makes it harder for your body to use these medicines.

Niacin

What it is: This B-vitamin, also known as nicotinic acid, is found in food but is also available at high doses by prescription. It lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol.

Examples include:

  • Niaspan
  • Nicobar

Research has not shown that adding niacin when you already take a statin further lowers your risk of heart disease.

Side effects: The main ones are flushing, itching, tingling, and headache.

Drugs that Work in Your Intestine

What they are: Your doctor may call these “bile acid resin” drugs or “bile acid sequestrants.” The work inside your intestine. They attach to bile from the liver and prevent it from being absorbed back into your blood. Bile is made largely from cholesterol, so these drugs whittle down the body's supply of cholesterol.

Ref. https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/cholesterol-lowering-medication#1

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