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If too much plaque forms in the arteries leading to the heart, the heart cannot get enough blood and a heart attack is often the result. Many Americans today are battling high cholesterol, and yet others are attempting to maintain their good cholesterol levels. When your heart cant get enough blood, you have a heart attack and when your brain cant get enough blood, you have a stroke. Take time to understand the main functions of your body and what you can do or not do in your day-to-day routine in order to maintain in good healthy shape.


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If the bloodstream contains too much LDL it can begin to build up in the arterial walls and can block precious blood from reaching the heart, brain and other important parts of the body, causing plaque to form. For those who currently have a normal cholesterol level there are important preventive measures that can be taken to keep cholesterol levels from getting higher. When and how your cholesterol should be treated depends on how much cholesterol one has as well as the types of cholesterol that are elevated. No matter how hard they try, they cant get their cholesterol to a manageable level; in these cases medication may be the only option. Cholesterol is an important part of your system, without which we cannot function; in fact, our own liver produces most of the cholesterol, while some of it is brought in by us through the food we eat. One of the functions of the liver, in the digestive process, is to turn cholesterol into bile acids that make their way into the intestinal tract where they are absorbed and returned to the liver.

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Understanding Three Cholesterol Medication Categories


Having just completed your annual physical, the doctor informs you that your lab results indicate your LDL cholesterol is high and your HDL cholesterol is low. He has decided to put you on cholesterol medication.

As an informed patient you want to know what all that means. He shares with you that cholesterol is an important part of the process that keeps your body functioning. Additionally, he explains that there are two types of cholesterol critical to the normal functioning of the body.

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the good cholesterol and has been shown to actually reduce levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is your bad cholesterol and if the levels of LDL cholesterol are not reduced it may present a health risk. This health risk can include hardening of the arteries, stroke, and coronary heart disease.

Three categories of cholesterol medication include the statin, bile-acid binding resin, and cholesterol absorption inhibitors.

Statin Drugs

Cholesterol medication, classified as a statin drug, has been medically proven to lower the levels of cholesterol. However, with any medication, you should discuss this option with your physician as there are particular side effects associated with this cholesterol medication.

This particular category of cholesterol-lowering drugs combines with the bile that is secreted by the gallbladder and liver and works within the intestinal tract. This combination of the statin medication, along with the bile, softens the ingested fatty food substance, which allows for that food to be absorbed.

Side effects could include muscle aches and if these symptoms develop you should contact your physician.

Bile-Acid Binding Resin

Bile-acid binding resin is also a drug class that addresses elevated cholesterol levels. This type of medication works in concert with the bile secreted from the gallbladder and liver. One of the functions of the liver, in the digestive process, is to turn cholesterol into bile acids that make their way into the intestinal tract where they are absorbed and returned to the liver.

This type of cholesterol medication binds itself to the bile acid and prevents these acids from being absorbed. Ultimately they are dispelled through the digestive tract.

When this particular type of cholesterol medication is combined with other medications, such as nicotinic acid, the levels of LDL cholesterol dropped dramatically. Side effects can include constipation, bloating, nausea, and gas.

Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors

One additional cholesterol medication, classified as a cholesterol-lowering pharmaceutical, is the cholesterol absorption inhibitors, and as the name implies this class of drug prevents the absorption of cholesterol. This medication is generally prescribed to those individuals who cannot take the statin class of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The difference between this type of medication and the statin medication is that the cholesterol absorption inhibitors work within the digestive track and not with the liver in absorbing the fatty food. The side effects of this cholesterol medication could include stomach pain and fatigue.