Statins Drugs To Lower Your Cholesterol

Compared to other types of drugs, statins help lower the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels faster and more efficient. How does it work? Well, it helps lower the LDL levels by inhibiting an enzyme, HMG-CoA reductase that controls the rate of cholesterol production in the liver.

These drugs work by increasing the liver's ability to remove low-density lipoprotein (also known as LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol) already in the blood and by slowing down the total production of cholesterol. Significant reductions in heart attack and coronary disease deaths and risks have been made with statin drugs because of the large reductions in total and LDL cholesterol. The number of heart disease and coronary heart attack deaths has been lowered, thanks to the statin's ability to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Also, because of this and its safety, it became the number one drug prescribed for lowering cholesterol.

Studies have shown that people taking statins have reported about 20 to 60 percent lower cholesterol levels in very short time. Besides the serious lowering in the LDL cholesterol levels, statins also reduce high triglyceride levels and produces a mild increase in HDL cholesterol. Most often statins are given in a single dose at the evening meal or at bedtime. To take advantage of the fact that the body makes most of the cholesterol during the night, it is very important that the pill is given in the evening. More recently, a new long acting statin has been developed to be administered in the morning as well.

After several weeks, with a maximum effect in 4 to 6 weeks, you should begin to see serious results from the statins. After about 6 to 8 weeks your doctor can do the first check on your new and most likely improved cholesterol levels while you are on the medication. In order to help meet your goal, a second measurement of your LDL cholesterol level must be averaged with the first so this way the doctors decides wether the medicine dose you are on should be changed.

Statins are medications with very rare side effects (liver problems, muscle soreness, pain, and weakness) and are very well tolerated. If any of the side effects appears, or if you have brown urine contact your doctor as fast as you can to get blood tests for possible muscle problems. In people who are taking other drugs that interfere with the statin medication, widespread muscle breakdown, also known as rhadomylysis can occur. But this is a very rare side effect that may also appear in people with advanced kidney problems.