According to the Centers for Disease Control, cholesterol medications are among the most commonly used drugs in the US. While effective in controlling cholesterol, these medicines can cause serious side effects, such as liver problems, says the Mayo Clinic. Once prescribed, most individuals will need to take these medications for their lifetime which further increases the chance of side effects and complicates treatment, says the Mayo Clinic. The benefits of cholesterol medicines need to be weighed against their risks when considering treatment.
Definition
Liver enzymes are proteins that the liver releases into the blood. The level of these proteins in the blood rises above the normal range when the liver is irritated or injured. The enzymes most often elevated in the bloodstream are called alanine transaminase or ALT and aspartate transaminase, or AST.
Tests
Elevated liver enzymes are discovered by performing a liver function test or LFT. This is a group of tests that determine the amounts of certain enzymes and proteins in the blood that signal possible injury to the liver. An LFT is used as a screening tool for liver injury when a person is taking certain drugs, including cholesterol medicines, that affect the liver.
Significance
In most cases, liver enzyme levels are only slightly elevated, and for a brief time, without serious liver damage, says MayoClinic.com. If the increase in liver enzymes is mild, then the cholesterol medicine may not need to be stopped. Severe liver enzyme increases in liver function tests may require the medicine to be stopped as serious liver damage may occur, advises MayoClinic.com.
Medication Effects
Some cholesterol medications, including statins, gemfibrozil, fenofibrate and niacin, can affect liver function because they work directly in the liver to control cholesterol. Use of over-the-counter niacin should therefore be avoided because increased liver enzymes might not be noticed if you are not under a doctor's care. Elevations of liver enzymes from medications are often dose-related and abnormal test results may indicate a need to modify the dosage of change the medication, says Drugs.com.
Importance
According to MayoClinic.com, liver problems from cholesterol medicines may develop without any symptoms. It is therefore recommended that liver function tests be done within six weeks of starting treatment, then every three to six months and yearly, especially if the dose is increased or other cholesterol medicines are added, says MayoClinic.com. In most cases, when the cholesterol medicine is stopped, the liver function tests return to normal, reports MayoClinic.com.
