Tretment Cholestrol

Treating Cholesterol

Conventional Medical Treatments For High Cholesterol
Cholesterol-lowering medicines are most effective when combined with a low-cholesterol diet.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs include:

· Statins
· Niacin
· Bile-acid resins
· Fibric acid derivatives
1. Statins
These drugs reduce LDL blood levels and reduce the build-up of artery blocking plaques by up to 40%, thereby limiting the possibility of the release of plaques as dangerous blood clots. Some also raise HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides. Statins are the most widely prescribed drugs for lowering cholesterol.
The most common ones include:
* Lovastatin (Mevacor)
* Simvastatin (Zocor)
* Atorvastatin (Lipitor), a new, highly potent drug

Common side effects of statins include:
* Gastrointestinal upsets
* Liver damage
* Muscle aches

2. Nicotinic Acid (or niacin)
Large doses of the vitamin niacin have been shown to lower triglycerides. Furthermore, niacin (or nicotinic acid) can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol.

3. Fibric Acids
These increase the liver’s oxidation of fatty acids, thus resulting in the lowering of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Among these drugs are:
* Clofibrate (Atromed -S)
* Fenofibrate (Tricor)
* Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
The most common side effect is an upset stomach.

4. Bile-Acid Resins
These drugs function by binding with bile acids, and consequently disrupting the liver’s cholesterol making activities. Bile-acid resins are usually a second choice to the statins.
These include:

* Colestipol (Colestid)
* Cholestyramine (Questran, LoCholest, and Prevalito).

Common side effects include constipation, gas and constant feeling of fullness in the stomach.

These conventional treatments are given when cholesterol has risen to unacceptable levels, and lifestyle changes will not have any impact in terms of lowering cholesterol levels. These drugs can be fairly expensive and are often required for many years. It is also important to note that some of these drugs have dangerous side effects. For example, the statins have a one-dimensional effect of reducing the body's ability to synthesize cholesterol. They do not, however, distinguish between the 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) and the 'good' cholesterol (HDL) and can also reduce levels of Co-enzyme Q10 and L-carnitine, two very important molecules which are involved in energy production and fat metabolism.

Myalgia and even stomach, lung and liver tumors have also been associated with the use of these drugs. Regular monitoring is quintessential for people under such medication.
The cliché, prevention is better than the cure, holds significant importance as lifestyle management in conjunction with beneficial supplements can keep cholesterol in check over a long period of time.