Although a number of cholesterol-lowering medications are available, statins are the most commonly prescribed and the most effective for reducing your LDL, or bad, cholesterol. They have a modest effect on lowering triglycerides and raising HDL, or good, cholesterol as well. Educate yourself before using these medications to improve your health.
Function
Statins work by inhibiting an enzyme your liver needs to synthesize cholesterol, slowing its rate of production. Statins may also help your body reabsorb the cholesterol that has built up as plaque in your artery walls, preventing further damage to your blood vessels and the occurrence of heart attacks.
Types
Your doctor currently has six different statins to choose from to help lower your cholesterol: atorvastatin, simvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin and rosuvastatin calcium. Each statin has its own dose, and your doctor prescribes your dose according to your cholesterol level.
Effectiveness
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute explains patients taking statins experience a 20 to 60 percent reduction in their LDL cholesterol. The Institute adds that this decrease contributes to a reduction in heart attacks and heart disease-related deaths. Statins produce maximum results within four to six weeks after you start taking these medications.
Risk Factors
Aside from high cholesterol levels, your doctor may factor in certain risk factors before choosing to prescribe a statin to lower your cholesterol. These include a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, a sedentary lifestyle, being overweight, smoking and medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Side Effects
The side effects of statins are usually mild, subsiding shortly after beginning the medication. These include nausea, constipation and diarrhea. The most common are mild cramping of your muscles and joint pain. The higher the dose, the more likely you are to experience this side effect. If these pains do not subside or become worse, report them to your doctor immediately. In rare cases a breakdown of your muscle cells can occur, a condition known as rhabdomyolysis.
Another serious side effect is liver damage. Six weeks after starting your medication, your doctor should perform a blood liver test. This checks for elevated live enzymes, a sign of possible liver damage. When detected early on, stopping your medication can reverse it. When a blood test is not performed, and the problem is left undetected, permanent liver damage can result.
Lifestyle Changes
For any statin to work to its full potential, you need to combine it with lifestyle and dietary changes. Losing weight, lowering your fat intake, consuming more vegetables, fruits and whole grains, quitting smoking and increasing your daily physical activity are all ways for you to do your part.
