Cholesterol Lowering Drug Effects

Cholesterol lowering drug effects is a story of good and bad. On one hand prescription medications can lower bad cholesterol dramatically (LDL) but on the other hand they do come with a number of side effect risk that make non prescription therapy the first line of defense suggested by most medical professionals.

So the real question is at what point do the benefits outweigh the negative cholesterol lowering drug effects. According to the American Heart Association drug therapy should be considered when the patient has made all of the lifestyle and diet modifications suggested by their doctor (diet, exercise, weight loss) but yet cholesterol reduction has remained elusive. Let's examine a few of the guidelines to see whether you might be a candidate for prescription medications.

*You could be a candidate if you have no prior history of coronary heart disease and have fewer than two risk factors if your LDL cholesterol reading is 190 mg/dl or higher. Your goal for therapy should be less than 160 mg/dl.

*You could be a candidate if you have no prior history of coronary artery disease, with two or more risk factors if your LDL cholesterol reading is 160 mg/dl or higher. Your goal for therapy should be less than 130 mg/dl.

*You could be a candidate if you currently have coronary heart disease and your LDL cholesterol reading is 130 or higher. The goal of therapy should be 100 mg/dl or less.

Note: Risk factors include but may not be limited to smoking, obesity, inactivity, high blood pressure, inactivity, age, gender, heredity, stress, and postmenopausal status in women.

In some instances, doctors who tend to favor drug therapy, despite their possible negative cholesterol lowering drugs effects, will decide on prescription medications as a first line of defense. There are also certain situations where cholesterol levels are so dangerously high that your doctor might decide to use prescription medications to reduce the elevated cholesterol levels first and then try to implement diet, lifestyle, and exercise to manage cholesterol as readings move into a safer range.

What types of prescription medications are used to lower cholesterol?

There are six categories. They are statins, bile acid sequestrants, nicotinic acid (niacin), fibric acids, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, and combination drugs such as Vytorin and Advicor. Of this group the most widely prescribed are the statin drugs also known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors such as atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin.

In the end knowing when the negative cholesterol lowering drug effects outweigh the benefits is a difficult decision even for the most skilled practitioner. Nevertheless, by working with your doctor there is a good chance that you can send high cholesterol packing once and for all.

What else? Lowering cholesterol, in most cases, is about changing old habits, adopting new healthier habits, and enlisting the help of convention medications such as statins or natural cholesterol reducing remedies if needed. Put simply, this basically means finding ways to increase HDL (good cholesterol) and decrease LDL (bad cholesterol levels). Certainly the aforementioned statin drugs will be one of your options but they do carry a number of serious label warnings. The possible negative cholesterol lowering drug effects have made natural cholesterol reduction supplements combined with aggressive diet modification a safe and effective combination worth considering.
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Cholesterol Lowering Drug Effects
Cholesterol Lowering Drug Effects
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