If lifestyle changes haven’t produced healthier cholesterol levels by lowering LDL to an acceptable number, your doctor may recommend using medication.
The following chart lists a variety of commonly used medications that control cholesterol.
Type of medication
|
Example |
How the medication works
|
Bile acid sequestrants
|
Cholestyramine, colestipol HCL
|
Disrupt bile acid re-absorption to lower cholesterol levels
|
Cholesterol absorption inhibitors
|
Ezetimibe |
Prevent the body from absorbing cholesterol from foods
|
| Fibrates |
Fenofibrate, gemfibrozil
|
Reduce the production of triglycerides and may increase HDL cholesterol
|
| Niacin |
Extended-release niacin
|
A form of vitamin B3 that lowers triglycerides and may increase HDL
cholesterol |
| Statins |
Rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin
|
Block the production of LDL in the liver
|
As with all medications, whether over-the-counter or prescription, side effects can occur. Be sure you understand why you are taking your medication and how you are supposed to take it so that you can get the most from its use. It is important to not stop taking your medication without first consulting your doctor, even if you are feeling better. Shoppers Drug Mart offers an email reminder service to help you remember when to get your prescriptions refilled. Click here to access this service, or ask your Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist for details.
Your Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist is a valuable resource on medication management and can help you answer questions you might have about cholesterol medications. Ask our pharmacists how you can benefit from a medication review.
Monitoring
If you are over age 20, ask your family doctor when it would be appropriate to have your cholesterol checked. It may be worthwhile to have your cholesterol checked once every five years once you reach age 20. Regular screening for cholesterol usually begins at age 40 for men and age 50 for women (earlier for women who have reached menopause).
Ongoing monitoring of unhealthy cholesterol levels will be done as part of your regularly scheduled health care appointments with your doctor.
Record your results in the Heart Health Profile logbook so that you can see over time how well you’re managing your cholesterol, or whether adjustments to your medications/lifestyle are required.
Try to get familiar with your target cholesterol numbers (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides) and learn as much as you can about how nutrition can have an impact on these numbers.
Consider asking some of the following questions about cholesterol at your next scheduled doctor’s appointment of when you’re visiting with a Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist:
Am I at risk for the development of a heart condition, such as a heart attack?
Do I have additional risk factors for a heart-related illness?
Can you recommend a dietitian or a nutritionist to help me with meal-planning to lower cholesterol?
Is it possible to bring my cholesterol to a healthier level through lifestyle changes alone?
Given my particular health situation, where should I focus my attention as it relates to lifestyle changes?
Do I need to take cholesterol-lowering medication(s)?
If I do take medication, what can I expect with side effects?
What are my targets for HDL, LDL and total cholesterol? How about triglycerides?
How often do I need to have my cholesterol checked?
Is testing required for members of my family?
