Many Americans today suffer from health problems attributed to a diet of high fat and sugar. One such problem that comes from too much intake of sugared carbohydrates and fat in ones diet is high levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood stream. Too much of these compounds in your blood stream will lead to heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and possible heart failure due to the buildup of these substances on artery walls. A person with this diagnosis could be prescribed by their cardiologist a drug that reduces the manufacture of these molecules or helps rid the body of them to more satisfactory levels.
There are four major types of cholesterol and lipid reducing drugs and they are satins, bile acid resins, nicotinic acid and fibrates. All of these drug types work to reduce the level of bad fat in our blood stream but each has a different approach and a little different prognosis.
The word cholesterol comes from the Greek language that means "bile solids" and one illustration of a cholesterol reducing drug is "Bile acid resins". These drugs work to alter the way cholesterol is excreted out of the body in the form of bile. The liver is the organ in the body where this chemical process takes place. Bile acid resins will block the recycling of bile acid to force the liver to take out more cholesterol from the blood. This reaction to the drug is 90% effective most of the time. Bile acid resins are in the form of a powder or a chewable bar to be taken orally. The most serious side effects from taking this drug are: allergic reactions (sneezing, respiratory congestion, itching or skin rashes) severe abdominal pain with nausea and/or vomiting, black tarry stools, sudden weight loss, constipation, congestion, dryness, hoarseness or sore throat , difficulty swallowing and muscle aches and pains. The most common forms of this drug are Cholestryramine, Colestipol and Colesevelam and like all the other reducing drugs these must also be prescribed by a doctor.
One such drug for treating hypertriglyceridemia is called "Gemfibrozil" which is a fibrate and this works to lower the high levels of triglycerides in the blood. Other names for this drug are Lopid, Lobid, 2,2-Dimethyl-5-(2,5-dimethylphenoxy)pentanoic acid, 2,2-Dimethyl-5-(2,5-xylyloxy)valeric acid and Jezil. Gemfibrozil works primarily to inhibit the hepatic triglyceride production in the body and there by reducing the levels. This drug is best used in conjunction with a good diet and proper exercise. The most serious side effect of this drug is muscle pain and weakness. This side effect is rare and usually limited to people over 60. The milder side effects are dizziness, headache, abdominal pain, nausea or gas. Lopid is widely used by cardiologists and prescribed the most of all other fibrates. Other drugs in this category are "Fenofibrate" and "Clofibrate", but these drugs are not readily used for triglyceride reduction in the blood.
Statins are another cholesterol reducing drug for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia which is high levels of cholesterol in the blood. This category of drug works to lower the fat levels in the blood by blocking an enzyme involved in the manufacture of cholesterol in the body. Popular statin drugs include atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, rosuvastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin. Notice that all of these drug names have statin for the ending which is an easy way to tell the drugs apart from other reducing drugs. The serious side effects from a statin are weak or tender muscles and liver dysfunction. It is highly recommended that if a patient experiences any of these serious side effects that they seek out their prescribing doctor immediately. This type of drug is designed to be used with a good exercise program and healthy eating habits.
The last of the four types of cholesterol reducing drugs is "nicotinic acid" or commonly known as niacin which is a form of vitamin B3. B3 is found naturally in dairy products, meats and eggs. This drug is taken to treat hypercholesterolemia as is the case for statins but this drug can be bought as an over the counter drug. The problem with this vitamin (niacin) is that it has strong side effects and must be taken in small amounts at first and then gradually increased to a higher dose that does in fact reduce cholesterol in the blood. The common side effects to niacin include yellowed eyes and jaundice(yellowing of the skin) as well as strong stomach pain, loss of appetite, stools light gray in color and darkening of the urine. The worst side effects of taking niacin in high doses are liver inflammation, gout and peptic ulcers. With these side effects nicotinic acid is not a common recommended cholesterol reducing drug.
Cholesterol reducing drugs have four basic forms with selective ways of reducing the excess fat in the blood stream. With this in mind these illustrations show how each specific drug can work and shows a cardiologist can prescribe a specific drug for a specific problem.