Sign In
Sign Up
SummaryFeatured Diseases & Conditions
Health Awareness Articles
Symptom Checker
Search Medication
Cholesterol-Reducing Drugs
Side Effects :
Gemfibrozil
Studies in animals and humans suggest that gemfibrozil increases the risk of some types of cancer. The drug may also cause gallstones or muscle problems. Patients who need to take this medicine should ask their physicians for the latest information on its benefits and risks.
Patients taking gemfibrozil should check with a physician immediately if any of these side effects occur:
- fever or chills
- severe stomach pain with nausea and vomiting
- pain in the lower back or side
- pain or difficulty when urinating
- cough or hoarseness
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
These drugs may damage the liver or muscles. Patients who take the drugs should have blood tests to check for liver damage as often as their physician recommends. Any unexplained pain, tenderness or weakness in the muscles should be reported to the physician at once.
All cholesterol-reducing drugs
Minor side effects such as heartburn, indigestion, belching, bloating, gas, nausea or vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness and headache usually go away as the body adjusts to the drug and do not require medical treatment unless they continue or they interfere with normal activities.
Patients who have constipation while taking cholesterol-reducing drugs should bring the problem to a physician's attention as soon as possible.
Additional side effects are possible. Anyone who has unusual symptoms while taking cholesterol-reducing drugs should get in touch with his or her physician.
Interactions
Cholesterol-reducing drugs may interact with other medicines. When this happens, the effects of one or both of the drugs may change or the risk of side effects may be greater. Anyone who takes cholesterol-reducing drugs should let the physician know all other medicines he or she is taking and should ask whether the possible interactions can interfere with drug therapy. Examples of possible interactions are listed below.
Some cholesterol-reducing drugs may prevent the following medicines from working properly:
- thyroid hormones
- water pills (diuretics)
- certain antibiotics taken by mouth, such as tetracyclines, penicillin G and vancomycin
- the beta-blocker Inderal, used to treat high blood pressure
- digitalis heart medicines
- phenylbutazone, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Taking some cholesterol-reducing drugs with blood thinners (anticoagulants) may increase the chance of bleeding.
KEY TERMS
Cell—The basic unit that makes up all living tissue.
Cholesterol—Fatty substance found in tissue. Necessary to maintain a healthy body.
Enzyme—A type of protein, produced in the body, that brings about or speeds up chemical reactions.
Hormone—A substance that is produced in one part of the body, then travels through the bloodstream to another part of the body where it has its effect.
Phenylketonuria—(PKU) A genetic disorder in which the body lacks an important enzyme. If untreated, the disorder can lead to brain damage and mental retardation.
Pituitary gland—A pea-sized gland at the base of the brain that produces many hormones that affect growth and body functions.
Recommended Dosage :
The recommended dosage depends on the type of cholesterol-reducing drug used. The prescribing physician or the pharmacist who filled the prescription can advise about the correct dosage.
Cholesterol-reducing drugs should be taken exactly as directed and doses should not be missed. Double doses should not be taken to make up for a missed dose.
Physicians may prescribe a combination of cholesterol-reducing drugs, such as pravastatin and colestipol. Following the directions for how and when to take the drugs is very important. The medicine may not work properly if both drugs are taken at the same time of day.
Niacin should not be taken at the same time as an HMG-CoA inhibitor, as this combination may cause severe muscle problems. If niacin is taken in an over-the-counter form, both the prescribing physician and pharmacist should be informed. There are no problems when the niacin is taken in normal doses as a vitamin.
The prescription should not be stopped without first checking with the physician who prescribed it. Cholesterol levels may increase when the medicine is stopped, and the physician may prescribe a special diet to make this less likely.
Image Gallary
Health Calcultors
Fitness Videos
Other References Related VideosWhy I'll Never Take a Statin Drug
