Few if any drugs pose absolutely no risk when taken during pregnancy. The developing fetus grows rapidly, especially in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, a time when major organs also form. Drugs that can cause birth defects, called teratogens, can...
Hyperlipidemia is a condition that results in increased levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and lipids in the bloodstream. Hyperlipidemia increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and pancreatitis. To lower the long-term risk associated with...
According to the Mayo Clinic, statins are drugs that may help lower cholesterol. They work by blocking a substance in the liver used to make cholesterol. Statins may also assist in the body reabsorbing cholesterol in the walls of the arteries....
Elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood increase the chances of a person developing a heart attack, stroke or peripheral vascular disease. Cholesterol level goals need to be individualized and are set according to a person's risk of...
High cholesterol can pose a great health risk if it's not treated promptly and properly. Your doctor uses the results of your lipid profile, or cholesterol test, to devise your treatment plan if your cholesterol levels are too high. He is not the...
Your blood fat levels significantly affect your risk of developing coronary heart disease, the leading killer of Americans. Coronary heart disease develops when fat accumulates in the arteries that supply your heart with blood. Cholesterol...
Simvastatin is a cholesterol drug that is prescribed to lower levels of LDL, the form of cholesterol commonly described as "bad." Simvastatin is approved for use in people aged 10 years old and up. The medication should be used in conjunction with...
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver similar to that seen in alcoholics. This disease is quite common and can show no signs or symptoms, while others may experience inflammation and scarring. In...
Grapefruit juice is a healthy beverage, full of essential vitamins and minerals. But for some people, grapefruit juice can cause dangerous and even life-threatening interactions with medications. Grapefruit juice may cause adverse side effects...
Alcohol, in moderation, may have a positive impact on your HDL, or good cholesterol. However, when taking a cholesterol-lowering medication, the risks of combining alcohol with your medication may outweigh any benefits it provides. Alcohol is a...
Grapefruit juice is a healthy beverage that contains 120 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C, as well as small amounts of calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, magnesium, iron, thiamine, niacin, folate and phosphorus. Drinking this type of...
According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 98.6 million adults over the age of 20 have cholesterol higher than 200 mg/dl - the diagnostic threshold for having hypercholesterolemia. High cholesterol is a primary risk factor for heart...
Cholesterol is a substance found in the fat in the blood and within cells. It is used to form cell membranes, hormones and other functions. However, a high level of the bad cholesterol, called LDL, may clog arteries and increase the risk of heart...
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...
Doctors have an array of medications to choose from to treat high cholesterol. Some lower your "bad" cholesterol, whereas others raise your "good" cholesterol. Before taking these drugs, you should know how they work and what side effects may...
Lipitor is an anti-cholesterol medication used to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, as mentioned in Medline Plus, a website supported by the National Institutes of Medicine. Lipitor is classified under the HMG-CoA reducatase inhibitors,...
It's not unusual to have high cholesterol -- according to Harvard Medical School, around one in every three Americans has this problem. If you do have it, you definitely want to lower it, since doing so can reduce your risk of cardiovascular...
Your heart generates blood pressure, and it is needed to circulate blood throughout the body. The blood pressure increases when cholesterol plaque builds up within the walls of arteries, a process called atherosclerosis. Anti-cholesterol...
Crestor is a medication that belongs to the drug category of statins or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, according to Medline Plus. (The generic form is called rosuvastatin.) It is used to decrease the amounts of cholesterol in your blood that can...
The medical and scientific community recognized the potential negative interaction between grapefruit juice and certain medications years ago. While side effects of interactions between grapefruit and medications for depression, pain and high...
Although you can control many factors that cause hypercholesterolemia, a lipid disorder marked by elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, unmanageable risks include your age, sex and genetics. If lifestyle changes alone don't return...
You're probably most familiar with cinnamon as a spice baked in rolls and pies and added to hot cereals and warm beverages such as apple cider. Cinnamon has traditional medical uses as well, including treatment of upset stomach, inflammation and...
Doctors prescribe statins to lower cholesterol, so if you are considering stopping your daily dose, make sure it's with a physician's permission. Some people stop taking cholesterol medication because of unpleasant side effects, including...
If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, your physician might have prescribed a statin drug to lower your cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, one of the common side effects of statins is leg and muscle cramps. While these should be mild,...
Two major types of cholesterol are in the body: low-density lipoprotein, known as LDL or "bad" cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein, known as HDL or "good" cholesterol. Increased levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood may contribute to...
The medicine Lipitor (or the generic version of atorvastatin) is prescribed for patients who have high cholesterol levels. According to Drugs.com, Lipitor (or the generic version) works by blocking the cholesterol production in the liver, thereby...
High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for atherosclerosis, the number one cause of death for the American population. In atherosclerosis, the medium and large arteries have plaque filled with connective...
If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, it is important that you educate yourself on the subject in order to take an active part in lowering your cholesterol levels. Many physicians will prescribe both a change in diet and a medication....
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is necessary for the production of cells and hormones in the body; however, when cholesterol levels get too high in the bloodstream, cholesterol can calcify and create plaque. Plaque can continue to buildup in...
A heart attack or a myocardial infarction is usually marked by symptoms of pain in the chest, shoulder, jaw, or left arm, and shortness of breath. Learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatments of a heart attack in this health video.
Angina refers to a painful constriction or tightness in a part of the body. Learn more about angina, possible locations of tightness, and causes in this video.
