Common Adverse Reactions from Cholesterol Medications
In the quest to maintain heart health, understanding the risks and benefits of cholesterol-lowering medications is crucial. Here's a rundown of some common cholesterol medications, their effects, and potential side effects.
Statins, such as atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, are widely prescribed for lowering cholesterol levels. Over five years, they have been found to be highly effective at reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by 5%. However, it's important to note that they may cause rare but serious side effects, including muscle damage (myopathy/rhabdomyolysis), liver toxicity, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
PCSK9 inhibitors, like Repatha, can help lower cholesterol levels but come with potential serious effects, including high blood sugar and diabetes onset, severe allergic reactions, and injection site reactions.
Ezetimibe, another medication, is known for its mild common side effects, but serious side effects can include muscle pain or weakness, similar to statins, and hepatic dysfunction (liver problems).
Bile acid sequestrants can cause rare but serious side effects such as gastrointestinal obstruction, vitamin deficiencies due to fat malabsorption, and elevated triglycerides.
ACL inhibitors, such as bempedoic acid, may cause uncommon serious effects like tendon rupture and elevated uric acid levels potentially causing gout attacks.
Fibrates, such as fenofibrate, can help reduce LDL and triglycerides, but they may cause gallstones, pancreatitis, liver toxicity, and muscle toxicity, especially when combined with statins.
Older people are most at risk of adverse effects from a combination of medications, so it's essential to consult a doctor before taking these substances. People with familial hypercholesterolemia and heart disease may be advised to take statins.
Dietary and lifestyle changes, such as eating a diet rich in fiber and healthy fats, reducing salt, sugar, and trans fats, reaching or maintaining a moderate body weight, being physically active, quitting smoking or vaping, and limiting alcohol, can also help manage cholesterol levels.
It's important to remember that dietary supplements are not a substitute for prescribed medications, and the FDA does not regulate dietary supplements. Moreover, people who take multiple medications are at higher risk of developing side effects because the medications may interact with each other.
Niacin and omega-3 fatty acids can help lower triglycerides and LDL to some extent. Doctors may recommend these supplements or other dietary and lifestyle changes for people with certain conditions taking statins.
In the case of fenofibrate, common side effects include constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, pain in the back, arm, or legs, headache, and joint pain. More serious side effects of bempedoic acid can include severe pain, warmth, discoloration, or swelling of the joints, particularly in the big toe, hearing or feeling a snap or pop in a tendon, bruising after an injury to a tendon, inability to move or bear weight on an affected tendon area.
Doctors may prescribe medications like gemfibrozil (Lopid), fenofibrate (Antara, Lofibra, Tricor, and Triglide), and clofibrate (Atromid-S) as fibrates, or newer medications like bempedoic acid (Nexletol) and bempedoic acid and ezetimibe (Nexlizet).
Taking prescribed cholesterol medicines can help manage cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of a heart attack or other types of cardiovascular event. However, it's crucial to talk with a doctor about the benefits of taking each type of medication against its side effects. Monitoring by a healthcare professional is essential during therapy to detect these rare but serious issues early.
- Seekers of heart health must understand the risks and benefits of various cholesterol-lowering medications.
- Statins, such as atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, are widely prescribed and effective, but may cause muscle damage, liver toxicity, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
- PCSK9 inhibitors, like Repatha, can lower cholesterol levels but may lead to high blood sugar, severe allergic reactions, and injection site reactions.
- Ezetimibe has mild common side effects, but serious side effects can include liver problems and muscle pain or weakness.
- Bile acid sequestrants can cause rare but serious side effects like gastrointestinal obstruction, vitamin deficiencies, and elevated triglycerides.
- ACL inhibitors, such as bempedoic acid, may lead to tendon rupture and elevated uric acid levels potentially causing gout attacks.
- Fibrates, such as fenofibrate, can help reduce LDL and triglycerides but may cause gallstones, pancreatitis, liver toxicity, and muscle toxicity.
- Older individuals are most at risk of adverse effects from a combination of medications, so consulting a doctor is essential.
- People with familial hypercholesterolemia and heart disease may be advised to take statins.
- Dietary and lifestyle changes, such as healthy eating and regular exercise, can also help manage cholesterol levels.
- The FDA does not regulate dietary supplements, and people who take multiple medications are at higher risk of developing side effects due to interactions.
- Niacin and omega-3 fatty acids can help lower triglycerides and LDL, and may be recommended for certain conditions alongside statins.
- Common side effects of fenofibrate include constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, and joint pain, while bempedoic acid can cause severe joint pain, swelling, and hearing or feeling a snap or pop in a tendon.
- Doctors may prescribe gemfibrozil, fenofibrate, clofibrate, bempedoic acid, or a combination of bempedoic acid and ezetimibe as cholesterol-lowering medications.
- Taking prescribed cholesterol medicines can help manage cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attacks or cardiovascular events.
- It's crucial to talk with a doctor about the benefits and side effects of each type of medication before starting therapy.
- Monitoring by a healthcare professional is essential during therapy to detect rare but serious issues early.
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