More and more people suffer from heart disease each year, and one of the main reasons is a high cholesterol level. If you do not want to be a part of the people who suffer from heart disease, then you should start reassessing your cholesterol level. You should visit your physician and have a medical examination to determine if your cholesterol level is desirable, less desirable, or high risk. If you have high-risk cholesterol levels, your physician will recommend that you take some cholesterol medications. Cholesterol medication includes synthetic pharmaceuticals such as statins, niacin, bile-acid resins, and fiber derivatives. Statin drugs are proven to be successful at lowering cholesterol. However, there are definite risks associated with these drugs, especially if you have mild kidney dysfunction; that is why it is important that you discuss these thoroughly with your physician. Some cholesterol medication can increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol as well as triglycerides. Triglycerides, just like cholesterol, can affect heart health. High levels of these are associated with ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attacks. Meanwhile, bile-acid resins are effective to soften any fatty material in food and help with absorption. As the name suggests, bile acids are secreted from the liver and gall bladder in the bile, which goes into the intestine and then back to the liver. However, these drugs have a disadvantage, mainly malabsorption. Lastly, the fiber derivatives, or fibrates, work by reducing triglyceride production and removing triglycerides from circulation. These also increase the level of HDL. Some of these fibrates include gemfibrozil and fenofibrate. All of these cholesterol medications can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and coronary heart disease. However, you should see to it that you follow your doctors prescription regularly. If you experience any side effects, you should tell your doctor right away. |
