Lowering High Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is an important component for the body. It is made in the liver. When too much bad cholesterol (called LDL) travels to the blood it may build up in the vessel walls causing hardening and narrowing that can limit proper blood flow. The increased LDL may increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Other risk factors for high cholesterol levels include older age, male gender, post-menopausal women, and whether or not it runs in the family.

The goal of lowering cholesterol is to reduce the risk of heart disease. Lifestyle changes and medications are the main treatment methods. LDL can be lowered by changes that include increased exercise, reduced saturated fat, and limiting high cholesterol foods. Drugs called HMG-CoA Reductase inhibitors, such as Crestor, and Lipitor reduce the amount of cholesterol made in the liver. Another name for these drugs is statins. Drugs called Fibrates (Lopid, TriCor) work to decrease LDL levels and increase good cholesterol (HDL). Bile acid resins (Questran, Welchol) work to decrease the amount of fat that is absorbed into the body, but it may cause constipation. Ezetimibe (Zetia) inhibits cholesterol absorption from food. Niacin (Niaspan, Niacor) helps increase HDL and lower LDL. A combination of medications is sometimes recommended.

Kathy Stapleton, Pharmacist


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