Cholesterol Traditional Treatments

Cholesterol Medications

Medication can be effective in reducing high cholesterol levels. If you have tried making the appropriate lifestyle changes and still haven’t seen enough of a reduction in your cholesterol, your doctor may recommend one of the following medications.

Statins - They one of the more popular prescriptions for controlling cholesterol levels. They block a substance that your liver needs to make cholesterol. Top statin brand drugs include:

• Lipitor
• Lescol
• Mevacor
• Pravachol
• Zocor

Bile-Acid-Binding Resins - These medications lower cholesterol by binding to bile acids. The liver then produces more bile to replace the bile that has been lost. Because the body needs cholesterol to make bile, the liver uses up the cholesterol in the blood, reducing the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood. Cholestyramine (Questran, Questran Light) is used in a powder that dissolves in liquid. Colesevelam (Welchol) is available in tablets.

Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors - Just as the name suggests, these medications block dietary cholesterol from entering into the bloodstream. Well-known brand-name cholesterol absorption inhibitors include, Zetia and Ezetrol.