Lifestyle
Most people, especially those whose only risk factor has
been lifestyle, can generally get their cholesterol and triglyceride levels
back to normal by:
Doing plenty of
exercise (check with your doctor)
Eating plenty of
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, oats, good quality fats
Avoiding foods with saturated fats
Getting plenty of
sleep (8 hours each night)
Bringing your
bodyweight back to normal
Avoiding alcohol
Stopping smoking
Many experts say that people who are at high risk of
developing cardiovascular disease will not lower their risk just by altering
their diet. Nevertheless, a healthy diet will have numerous health benefits.
Cholesterol-controlling
medications
If your cholesterol levels are still high after doing
everything mentioned above, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering
drug. They may include the following:
Statins (HMG-CoA
reductase inhibitors) - these block an enzyme in your liver that produces
cholesterol. The aim here is to reduce your cholesterol levels to under 4
mmol/liter and under 2 mmol/liter for your LDL. Statins are useful for the
treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. Side effects can include
constipation, headaches, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Atorvastatin,
fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin are examples
of statins.
Aspirin - this
should not be given to patients under 16 years of age.
Drugs to lower triglyceride levels - these
are fibric acid derivatives and include gemfibrozil, fenofibrate and clofibrate.
Niacin - this is a
B vitamin that exists in various foods. You can only get very high doses with a
doctor's prescription. Niacin brings down both LDL and HDL levels. Side effects
might include itching, headaches, hot flashes (UK: flushes), and tingling (mostly
very mild if they do occur).
Anti hypertensive
drugs - if you have high blood pressure your doctor may prescribe
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, Angiotensin || receptor
blockers (ARBs), Diuretics, Beta-blockers, Calcium channel blockers.
In some cases cholesterol absorption inhibitors (ezetimibe)
and bile-acid sequestrants may be prescribed. They have more side effects and
require considerable patient education to achieve compliance (to make sure
drugs are taken according to instruction).