Types Of Cholesterol Medication

If you are diagnosed with elevated cholesterol your doctor may advise that you change your eating habits to include low fat produce and that you take on more exercise. He/she may also prescribe some form of medication. Here is some information on the types of medication that is available for high cholesterol and how it works to lower the level.

The main aim of most cholesterol drugs is to decrease the presence of LDL (low density lipoproteins) cholesterol in the blood. LDLs carry cholesterol through the blood stream and too many cause the body to get cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Statins, Bile acid binding resins, absorption inhibitors and fibrates all fall into this category. These types of cholesterol drug also share some of the same side effects as well, most of them having to do with abdominal complaints. You may experience constipation, nausea, bloating, and stomach cramps from any of these types of cholesterol drugs. 

Other types of cholesterol drugs work on triglycerides as well, helping to moderate and decrease their presence in the body. High levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream are thought to cause atherosclerosis, heart disease and strokes. Again Statins, absorption inhibitors, and fibrates fall into this category. As with the LDL cholesterol side effects, all these may cause similar abdominal problems to some degree.

LDL cholesterol is often termed “bad” cholesterol because it has been observed that people with high levels of LDL suffer health problems. This is why most medication tries to decrease the amount of LDLs. HDL (high density lipoproteins) are dubbed as 'good' cholesterol because they are thought to take cholesterol to the liver for excretion.

Some cholesterol drugs promote a modest increase in HDL or good cholesterol. Among these are statins, absorption inhibitors and fibrates. Again, be on the lookout for any side effects that you may experience, and let your doctor know if they seem to be more severe than you think they should be.

Most of these cholesterol drugs are manufactured under different brand names that would be recognizable to most people. Your doctor will be aware of which of these types of cholesterol medication would be best for your situation. Your doctor will also note tht there may be some side effects or none at all. Keep your Doctor informed of any unusual changes that may occur to your body when taking the medication. He/she may decide that another prescription would be better for you or may decide that simply changing your diet is the best solution.

Enter your search terms Submit search form