Before the late 1980s, you and your body chemistry had to cope without a class of drugs that have since become ubiquitous in the treatment of high cholesterol – a condition that can threaten the health of your heart.
They’re in the class of drugs called statins, but you may know them best by their many brand names – Mevacor, Altoprev, Pravachol, Zocor, Lescol, Lipitor and Crestor.
They work by blocking an enzyme in your liver that creates cholesterol, which can cause heart disease, which in turn is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States.
When it comes to cholesterol, there is the bad kind, called low density lipoprotein (LDL) and the good kind, called high density lipoprotein or HDL. The HDL actually takes the LDL out of your blood, and back to your liver from which the body can eliminate it. Statin drugs reduce the level of the bad stuff, and raise the level of the good cholesterol.
What Effects Your Cholesterol Levels?
A variety of things can affect your cholesterol levels – the foods you eat, the genes you were born with, whether you’re overweight, how much exercise you get, how old you are and whether you smoke. The levels tend to rise as you age.
While these drugs and others help battle cholesterol and heart disease, lifestyle is still considered a big issue. You should quit smoking because tobacco use lowers HDL levels. Conversely, exercise tends to raise it. It is also believed that moderate alcohol use can raise HDL.
Other Drugs That Fight Cholesterol
Medical science has other ammunition to fight cholesterol problems. In 2002, a drug called Zetia was approved for use. It blocks the absorption of cholesterol in your intestine.
Another class of drugs that are used in the battle against heart disease are called fibrates. They are considered to be best used to lower triglycerides, a type of blood fat. They can sometimes raise HDL levels as well, and are sometimes used in combination with the statin drugs. Common brand names are Tricor, Lopid, Antara, Lofibra, Triglide and Atomid-S.
Still another medical treatment for controlling both triglycerides and for lowering LDL cholesterol and raising HDL levels is prescription niacin, as opposed to the type you can buy as a dietary supplement because that over-the-counter type is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
It’s possible that your skin will feel flushed of itchy or your stomach could become upset when you take niacin. It can also raise blood sugar levels.
As always, talk to your doctor about your medications. Make sure you understand why you taking them, how you should take them and if you can expect any side effects.
Learn more about cholesterol
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