Side Effects of Cholesterol Medications

If you have high cholesterol that needs to be controlled by cholesterol medications, know that there are also some steps you can take to enhance your cholesterol-lowering goals. You can:

• Drop the excess weight: - not just those 3 or 5 vanity pounds but real excess body weight.
• Watch what you eat: - the buzz words du jour are saturated fats, cholesterol and trans-fats. You want to make sure you are cutting down on all of these... it's that simple.
• Exercise, Exercise, Exercise: - studies have shown that in addition to a low-fat diet, you can significantly cut down your total cholesterol points. Be sure to make the exercise count... really work it out... at least three hours a week of brisk walking or the equivalent of such a routine. It doesn't have to be too strenuous though, just get moving!
• Bulk up on fiber: - get to know what types of foods are good sources of fiber and then try to eat more of them. Combine these with a low fat diet then watch for lower cholesterol levels
• Get fishy: - some evidence suggests that the oil in fish a.k.a "fish oil" or "omega 3s" can lower high cholesterol. If you can, try to eat actual fish as opposed to taking a pill because in addition to all the other nutrients you get, it is still questionable if you get the same benefits from the supplements as you do from the actual fish itself.
• Quit smoking!: - smoking actually causes your total cholesterol to rise and your HDL (that's the good cholesterol... the one you want to be high) to drop.
• Indulge in some bubbly: - yes, alcohol IN MODERATION can be beneficial to cholesterol levels. Don't go overboard with it though, the risks that heavy drinking pose to your health may not be worth the good it does for your heart.

When it comes to specific foods, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Educational and Research, better known as the Mayo Clinic, has come up with a recommendation of five (5) top foods that can help to lower your cholesterol numbers. These can be incorporated into your diet in addition to cholesterol medications and they are:

• Oatmeal & Oat bran: - reduce LDL
• Walnuts & Almonds: - reduce cholesterol but can be fattening so watch your portions/servings of these
• Fish: - reduce cholesterol (as well as blood pressure and your risk of developing blood clots... but I digress); if you aren't into fish you can substitute with flaxseed or canola oil.
• Olive oil: - reduces LDL
• Plant Sterol (Stanol)-Fortified Foods: - reduce LDL; includes foods like margarine, yogurt drinks and orange juice.

Cholesterol Medications

Statins (Medical Name: HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors):

• Altoprev, Mevacor (Lovastatin)
• Crestor (Rosuvastatin)
• Lescol (Fluvastatin)
• Lipitor (Atorvastatin)
• Pravachol (Pravastatin)
• Zocor (Simvastatin)

Bile Acid Sequestrants:

• Colestid (Colestipol)
• LoCholest, Prevalite, Questran (Cholestyramine)
• Welchol (Colesevelam)

Fibrates:

• Antara, Tricor, Triglide (Fenofibrate)
• Lopid (Gemfibrozil)

Combination Drugs:

• Advicor (Niacin + Lovastatin)
• Vytorin (Ezetimibe + Simvastatin)

Other:

• Niaspan (Niacin)
• Zetia (Ezetimibe)

Doctors are busy playing God when so few
of us have the qualifications.
And besides, the job is taken.
- Bernie S. Siegel, MD

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May 3, 2009

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