Unhealthy cholesterol levels increase the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the U.S., with approximately 500,000 people dying of heart disease and 1 million people suffering from heart attacks each year. In addition to diet and lifestyle changes, a variety of medications help lower cholesterol and triglycerides to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Types
Several types of medications lower blood cholesterol. These include statins or HMG CoA reductase inhibitors, selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors, resins or bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, niacin or nicotinic acid and prescription omega-3 fatty acid supplements, says the AHA. Some of these medications can used in combination therapy. Examples of statins inlcude simvastatin and lovastatin. Ezetimibe is an available selective cholesterol absorption inhibitor. Resins include cholestyramine and colestipol. Available fibrates include gemfibrozil and clofibrate.
Effects
The different types of cholesterol medications work by various means to lower cholesterol. The statins and niacin act in the liver to prevent formation of cholesterol, says the AHA. Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors work to block the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine, while the resins work in the intestines by attaching to bile. According to the Daily Med, a service of the National Institutes of Health, fibrates work by decreasing the manufacture of triglycerides in the liver.
Benefits
The statins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors and bile acid sequestrants are effective at lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, says the National Cholesterol Education Program. Nicotinic acid works to decrease LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing high-density lipoproteine. According to the AHA, fibrates can decrease LDL cholesterol to some extent but their primary use is to lower triglyceride levels and raise HDL cholesterol levels. Prescription omega-3 fatty acid supplements lower triglycerides, says MayoClinic.com.
Cautions
Most of the cholesterol medications are well tolerated and cause mild side effects that generally go away after continued use, reports the National Cholesterol Education Program. However, some precautions need to be taken with certain medications, such as the statin drugs and niacin. According to the AHA, these medications can have a damaging affect on the liver and routine liver function tests need to be done to ensure liver health.
Warnings
Noteworthy comments from the AHA related to cholesterol medications include avoiding statin drugs during pregnancy and chronic or active liver disease, and using niacin cautiously in diabetics as it can increase blood sugar levels. In addition, dietary non-prescription niacin should not be used as a substitute for prescription niacin as it contains largely inconsistent amounts of niacin and may cause serious side effects, especially when taken at higher doses, says the AHA.
