Cholesterol Medication

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.