For most people, a high-fat diet and inherited risk factors may be the main cause of high cholesterol. The genes influences how high the LDL (bad) cholesterol is by affecting how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood. One specific form of inherited high cholesterol that affects 1 in 500 people is called familial hypercholesterolemia, which often leads to early heart disease.
High cholesterol is usually discovered on routine screening and has no symptoms. It is more common if one has a family history of it, but lifestyle factors (such as eating a diet high in saturated fat) clearly plays' a major role. If you're having a hard time lowering your with diet and exercise alone, or are concerned about heart disease, talk to your doctor about Lipitor. Lipitor was introduced in 1997 and since then, it's been prescribed to more than 18 million people in the United States. The generic name is Atorvastatin and the brand name is Lipitor. Lipitor lowers LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or cholesterol by blocking an enzyme in the liver that the body uses to make cholesterol. When less cholesterol is produced, the liver uses up more of it from the bloodstream. This results in lower levels of cholesterol in the blood. Lipitor lowers LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels in the blood by 39 to 60% (depending on the dose). "Bad" cholesterol generally builds up in the arteries and thus slow or clog the flow of blood and increasing the risk of a heart disease. Lipitor also increases the level of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or "good" cholesterol in the blood which also helps get rid of the "bad" cholesterol. is generally well tolerated and can be taken with many other medicines. Like all medicines, Lipitor may cause side effects in some people. If you are prescribed Lipitor, be sure to alert your doctor as soon as possible if you have any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness. The side effects reported most often are gas, stomach pain, indigestion and constipation. These side effects are usually mild and tend to go away. One should not take any or inform the doctor if one has an active liver disease or possible liver problems, pregnant or could possibly become pregnant or are breast-feeding, allergic to any of the ingredients in these drugs, or, taking a medication that might interact with them.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Atorvastatin. The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous effects. One must ensure that one eats low fat, low cholesterol diet. One should not stop taking Atorvastatin without the doctor's advice as Atorvastatin may be needed to be taken for a long term treatment.
Cholesterol is a waxy, greasy like substance that our body needs in order to produce a number of hormones and cell membrane. There are two types of cholesterol, the good and bad cholesterol. While the good cholesterol is accountable for the proper functioning of our body, the bad cholesterol will lead you to have heart related diseases like coronary heart attack.
Today's normal diet contributes to problems with high cholesterol. High cholesterol contributes to problems with heart disease and can lead to heart attacks. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs in your liver, and this cholesterol will help make and maintain cells, insulate nerves and produce hormones, and even helps your body to digest fat. The cholesterol you don't need comes from your food.
Controlling Your Cholesterol
In order to control cholesterol you need to know what the correct levels are you should have at first: a minimum of 40mg/dL or more for the good cholesterol and bad cholesterol should not over 200mg/dL. One thing you should know that cholesterol is not measured depending on your body weight through if your body weight is over the normal levels you may be at risk if you have a high bad cholesterol levels.
You are able to purchase a cholesterol lowering drug over the counter, and then there are some that can only be administered through a prescription by doctor because of their side effects. It is highly suggested that before you even consider taking any type of drug that you should consult your physician first so that they can help you to decide on which cholesterol lowering drug is best for you.
How Cholesterol Medicine Works
Different types of cholesterol medicine are very helpful combined with diet and exercise to lower your cholesterol. Most types of cholesterol medicine are: niacin, statins, bile-acid resins or fibric acid derivatives. Statins is to block the production of cholesterol in your liver; bad cholesterol and triglycerides are then reduced and good cholesterol can be increased a bit.
If you require cholesterol medicine, your doctor may prescribe a statin. Your doctor will then watch for such side effects such as intestinal problems and liver damage. A small handful of people can suffer muscle tenderness.
Niacin, aka nicotinic acid, is a B-vitamin. This cholesterol medicine is a natural ingredient in food and is also added to some manufactured foods. Higher doses can be prescribed. Niacin lowers bad cholesterol and raises good cholesterol. Side effects such as flushing, itching, tingling and headache may happen. Bile-acid resins work within the intestine.
Bile is largely composed of cholesterol. Ideally, your body should make good cholesterol, integrate it into the bile which travels into the intestine and is reabsorbed for distribution throughout your bloodstream. Bile-acid resins bind to bile to prevent its reabsorption. Side effects like constipation, gas and stomach upset may be encountered. Fibrates limit production of triglycerides and can help increase good cholesterol.
All cholesterol medicine has side effects such as digestive problems, allergic reactions and muscle aches. The most dangerous side effect of cholesterol medicine is signalled by muscle aches. You shouldn't take more than one kind of cholesterol medicine at a time or take them with anticoagulants. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can hinder with the metabolization of cholesterol medicine. Over the long term, effective cholesterol medicine can help you maintain a healthy life.
Taking The Right Cholesterol Medication
If you have determined that you have high cholesterol through a doctor, you may want cholesterol medication to help lower your cholesterol levels back to a normal or healthier level. Your physician, along with suggesting a cholesterol medication, should also advise that you make some lifestyle choices that will change the way you live your life and the food you eat to help mould it to a better and healthier environment for your cholesterol levels. With the right medication and the right lifestyle changes, you should be able to get back to a reasonable level of health in a period of time.
The thing to know about cholesterol medication is that it can be quite costly. It can also feature a host of side effects that may be difficult, so always consult a doctor before you take any sort of medication. Do not continue taking medication if you observed a side effect. Consult with your doctor at once and you should stop your medication for any reason. It is important to also follow all of the information on the medication itself so that you can prevent any problems that may arise from improperly taking your medication.
Other Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol
Most foods that we eat everyday contain cholesterol such as, poultry, meats, eggs, butter and milk. The trick to eat all those items and still keep your cholesterol levels low is to minimize your quantities. Once you require taking a cholesterol lowering drug, you need to watch your diet closer and take necessary measures not to reach in an emergency situation.
Both Kalvin & Apple33p are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kalvin has sinced written about articles on various topics from High Cholesterol. Kelvin is an associate editor to the website . Kalvin's top article generates over 480 views. to your Favourites.
Apple33p has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pilates Exercise, Education and Treadmill Exercises. Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit to learn more about. Apple33p's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.