Cholesterol medication is sometimes necessary if
diet and exercise does not reduce high cholesterol
sufficiently.
Cholesterol medication is often recommended for
those people who do not respond to diet changes,
regular physical activity or weight loss campaigns. In
those cases they may require further treatment for high
blood cholesterol levels. Generally, in men under about
35, or women who are pre-menopausal, with LDL levels of
190 to 219 mg/dL cholesterol medication is perhaps best
not taken, unless the person is already in a high risk
group, like diabetics. Cholesterol medication is
cheaper and less invasive than bypass surgery when all
is said and done.
Of course drugs simply can't fix all the damage we
might do to ourselves so it's important to continue
eating a healthy diet, even if you're prescribed a
modern drug to reduce your cholesterol levels. Health
eating would include fresh fruit, vegetables, grilled
chicked, fish and lean cuts of meat. It's also an idea
to try to avoid treats and snacks like pastries, cakes,
candy and other junk foods.
You also have to be careful since certain drugs have
been known to trigger a muscle-wasting condition. The
risk factor is increased if certain drugs are taken
with grapefruit juice. Always check with your
healthcare provider for any special care to be
exercised when taking your cholesterol
medications.
Lowering your cholesterol naturally may be hard work
so you may need to ask your physician about the
treatments available to you. Among the most common
treatments right now are statins. Statins such as
atorvastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin and
rosuvastatin help to reduce LDL levels by removing
cholesterol from the blood. In turn that helps to
prevent further build up of plaque. In some cases it
can actually reverse the existing build up.
Statins, in most cases, require you to continue
treatment for life so it's always wise to discuss
treatment options before committing to a lifelong
regime. Statins work by blocking the production of
cholesterol in the liver itself. They lower LDL, which
is sometimes called the bad cholesterol, and
triglycerides. They are known also to have a mild
effect in raising HDL, which is also called the good
cholesterol. The terms "good" and "bad" are simply
handy ways of describing the different types of
cholesterol. You need some of each for normal health -
it's just the total amount and the ration between them
that determines whether they're "good", or
"bad".
Statins are sold under many brand names and you
should consult with your physician about which is best
for you.
The actual mechanism Statins use to inhibit the
production of cholesterol is by jamming the pathway by
which it is made. That has the effect of slowing the
production of cholesterol, which in turn means your
liver is better able to filter out the bad cholesterol
already in the blood.
But remember above all else that even if you are
taking cholesterol lowering medication you should still
strive to make healthy lifestyle choices - it could
literally mean the difference between life and
death.