Side-Effects of Cholesterol Medications

Doctors try not to prescribe medications for lowering cholesterol unless they necessarily have to. This is mostly due to the fact that a lot of the medications that are prescribed will have undesirable side-effects that many people may not know about. Lowering cholesterol levels can be achieved by the patients themselves with a little more discipline and structure to their eating habits. Prescribed medications are really only for people who have dangerously high levels of cholesterol that cannot be controlled with exercise and eating the right foods. The side-effects and risks of taking prescribed medications can sometimes be worse than the actual ailment. Not everyone will experience side-effects, but physicians must let the patients know about the side-effects because some people can experience them, while others do just fine by taking the medications. It is very rare that a person will suffer major risks from taking a prescribed medication, but the risks have to be mentioned just in case.

Potential Side Effects From Cholesterol Medications

• Liver damage
• Abdominal cramps
• Itching of the skin
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Pain in the joints and muscles
• Bloating
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

Some patients may only experience one of these side-effects, or all of them. It all depends on the patient. The statin type of medications are more powerful and potent and will have the most undesirable side-effects. Other medications that are less potent, but still effective for lowering cholesterol are inhibitors called reductase, which are HMG CoA statins, Niacin, and sequestrants called Bile Acid. The minor side-effects for these are headaches, tingling, flushing, and itching of the skin. The bile acids can cause gas, stomach upsets, and constipation. These are common digestive problems associated with the bile in the liver. Some patients choose to take these types of medications even if they do not have cholesterol or heart problems because of the benefits to their health. Statin type of medications can help keep the heart healthy and prevent heart attacks from even occurring, but these are also probably people who do not suffer any side-effects. For people who do suffer side-effects, they may end up taking themselves off of the medication and find better ways to lower their cholesterol.

If a patient does have heart disease, and are unable to lower their cholesterol by other means, they would benefit more with the medications, despite the side-effects. Powerful medications are strictly used for people who have a great risk of suffering from a heart attack and stroke. Taking the medications may far outweigh not taking them. A physician is the best person to let a patient know if taking the medications will benefit them in the long run.

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Tags: , abdominal cramps, bile acid, bile acids, cholesterol levels, common digestive problems, liver damage, lowering cholesterol, prescribed medication, stomach upsets, undesirable side effects