Increase in blood cholesterol levels is associated with a rise in your chances of developing a stroke and heart disease like a heart attack. In addition to exercise, a healthy diet that includes fruits vegetbles, whole grains and low-fat foods can reduce your blood choesterol levels. Your doctor may also prescribe certain drugs and vitamins that can lower the level of cholesterol in your body.
Statins
Statins are a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs that are also known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors. They work by preventing the liver from producing cholesterol. The statins work to reduce bad cholesterol and fats called triglycerides, in addition to raising good cholesterol. They have side effects that wear off with time. Muscle pain is a rare side effect of this class of medication and should be reported to your doctor along with any uncomfortable side effects. Examples of statins are Pravastatin, Rosuvastatin, Crestor and Simvastatin.
Resins
Cholestyramine, Colestipol and WelChol are examples of resins. Bile is produced in the liver and is necessary for digestion of food. It is made with cholesterol. Resins are a group of cholesterol lowering drugs that bind to bile and prevent it from digesting food. The body then has to make more bile with the excess cholesterol available in the body. This causes a reduction in blood levels of cholesterol.
Fibrates
Triglycerides are a type of fat made by the body. They are associated with high levels of blood cholesterol and heart disease risk. Fibrates are a group of drugs that reduce the amount of triglycerides in the body by facilitating their removal from your blood. They also increase the blood levels of good cholesterol in your body. Drugs in this class include Gemfibrozil, Fenofibrate and Clofibrate.
Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors
Cholesterol from food is absorbed in the small intestines and transported to the blood stream. Cholesterol absorption inhibitors reduce your blood cholesterol levels by preventing absorption of cholesterol in the small intestines. According to the American Heart Association, Ezetimibe (also called Zetia) is the first drug in this class and was approved in 2002 for high blood cholesterol treatment and inherited lipid abnormalities.
Vitamin B3
Niacin is also known as vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid. Niacin inhibits the liver's ability to make triglycerides and bad cholesterol. Your doctor may prescribe niacin to lower your blood levels of triglycerides and bad cholesterol. Prescription niacin differs from supplements that contain niacin. Mayoclinic suggests that niacin supplements are not effective in lowering cholesterol and may damage your liver.
