For the estimated 98 million Americans with high cholesterol, there are several options for lowering their risk for heart disease: diet, exercise and/or medications. Typically, when a patient is first diagnosed with cholesterol that's over 240 mg/dL, his physician will try to lower it through aggressive dietary changes, such as eating more fruit, vegetables, whole-grain foods and foods high in fiber. In conjunction with a daily exercise program, some patients experience significant reductions in cholesterol. But for the rest, prescription medications may be the only answer. While cholesterol-lowering medications are effective, like any other drug, they come with a number of of side effects.
Statins
Statins are one of the most popular cholesterol-lowering drugs on the market. They help to reduce HMG-CoA reductase, which is an enzyme that helps your body manufacture cholesterol. Some side effects include skin rashes, fatigue, diarrhea, heartburn, constipation and muscle or joint pain.
Bile Acid Sequestrants
Bile is an acid produced by the digestive tract. After a meal, cholesterol makes bile. Bile acid sequestrants bind to bile, rendering it ineffective during digestion. The liver responds by producing more bile and by consuming more cholesterol. The result is that there is less cholesterol left to accumulate inside the arteries. The side effects of bile acid sequestrants are constipation, heartburn, upset stomach and a bloated feeling.
Nicotinic Acid
Nicotinic acid (also called niacin) is a form of vitamin B. It slows the liver's production of low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides and elevates high-density lipoproteins, or the good type of cholesterol. The most common side effect of nicotinic acid is flushing. Other symptoms include dry skin, upset stomach, vomiting, high blood sugar and abnormal heartbeats.
Fibric Acid Derivatives
Fibric acid derivatives are primarily used to reduce trigylceride levels. They break down triglycerides into smaller particles, which can be used by other parts of the body instead of circulating in the blood. Common side effects of fibric acid derivatives include upset stomach, headaches, skin rash, hair loss, dizziness, flatulence and abnormal heartbeats.
Cholesterol Absorbtion Inhibitors
Cholesterol absorption inhibitors lower LDL levels and are often prescribed with statin class drugs. They work by inhibiting the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed in the digestive tract. Common side effects include fatigue and an upset stomach.
