What Cholesterol Lowering Medication Does

What kind of cholesterol lowering medication to go on can be a difficult decision. It is generally decided by your doctor once a cholesterol test has been taken and proves that your cholesterol is above the guidelines for a healthy cholesterol level. The doctor will also question you on your eating habits and amount of physical activity you get each week. If you smoke or drink will also be factored into the decision. Any other medications that you are currently taking may also have an influence. Once you start taking the medication, you may experience some side effects that should be raised with your doctor and an alternative drug found. With this in mind, learning about the effects of the cholesterol lowering medication you are about to take is important.

Here are some common types of cholesterol medication and typical side effect they may have.

Statins

Statins are the most commonly used cholesterol lowering medication at the moment. This medication is effective in lowering bad cholesterol and does help to increase good cholesterol levels. The side effects can include liver damage and some people may experience intestinal problems. Talk to your doctor about these concerns if statins are prescribed.

Nicotinic Acid

Nicotinic acid is another kind of cholesterol lowering medication that has a positive effect on high cholesterol problems. Nicotinic acid is a B-complex vitamin, when prescribed you will be getting high doses of this vitamin. It can help to lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.

Nicotinic acid is actually found in food and so the side effects are less severe than other medications. Headaches, tingling, and itching are some of the side effects that are associated with this kind of medication.

Bile Acid Resins

Bile is largely made up of cholesterol and using bile acid resins is a good way to combat cholesterol for some people. Bile acid resins bind the bile in the liver, this way the bile is prevented from going back into the circulatory system. You may suffer from gas, constipation, and an upset stomach.

Precautions To Take

While you are on cholesterol lowering medication it is a good idea to avoid drinking grape juice and grapefruit juice. Drinking these types of juice while taking cholesterol lowering medication may interfere with your liver’s ability to metabolize the drugs properly. You should also be careful about mixing any type of cholesterol lowering medication with anticoagulants.

Make sure that you follow your doctor’s instructions carefully and stick to a high fiber and low in fat diet. Cholesterol lowering medication will give you the best results when combined with this kind of diet. Losing weight and increasing your exercise will also help you to see good results.

In most cases, you will only be prescribed a form of medication after you have made these sorts of lifestyle changes although some exceptions are people with dangerously high cholesterol readings or some kind of genetic reason that exercise and dietary changes are not effective.