Today, the number of American adults who should seek medical advice in order to reduce their high blood cholesterol levels has reached over 100 million. One medication which has limited side effects and is known to lower cholesterol levels and fight heart disease whilst Americans are continually getting larger are statins.

Despite this epidemic problem, there is good news. You can do something about the problem and that's what this article is all about. We will take a laymen's look at cholesterol and the statin medications that your doctor would prescribe to better your personal health. We will review the different types of statin medications available for the treatment of high cholesterol.

Cholesterol a waxy, fat like substance shows itself naturally in cell membranes and walls throughout your body. Producing hormones is one of the uses of cholesterol. If there is too much cholesterol in your bloodstream problems begin to surface.

Your doctor may decide that you need help in controlling your cholesterol if you are not able to reduce it using natural treatments. Even if your doctor prescribes any of these medications, you must still follow through with healthy lifestyle treatments as well. There are several different types of medications used to lower cholesterol, but we will focus only on statins.

In order to know if you need these medications it is important you know both what statins are and also how they work to cut down your cholesterol levels in your body. HMG-CoA reductase is an enzyme in your body that is repressed by statins. This enzyme governs the rate cholesterol produces itself throughout your body. Anywhere from 20 to 60% is what statins are known to lower the body's cholesterol levels by. Statins are the only drug that can truly lower your body's Low Density Lipoprotein Levels (LDL). They do this by decreasing the production of cholesterol while at the same time increasing the liver's ability to retract the LDL.

Statins not only decrease total cholesterol and triglycerides, but they can also produce a moderate increase of HDL (High Density Lipoproteins). Encouraging results can usually be seen as quickly as 4 to 6 weeks after beginning use of the medication. Statins are also known to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other possible coronary illnesses.

You should not take statins if: you are allergic to statins themselves or their ingredients; you are pregnant or breastfeeding; you have liver disease; you regularly consume excessive amounts of alcohol; you have a history of myopathy; or if you have experienced renal failure.

Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, Lescol, Altocor and Mevacor are all prescription brand name statins that you might recognize. Please know of certain food and/or drug interactions that may have adverse effects. If you drink more than a quart of grapefruit juice per day it can very well decrease the liver's ability to process some statin drugs. It is critical to know that there are other medications that you might be taking that can possibly interact with the statins to cause some weighty side effects.

It's important to let your doctor know about any other medication you are taking, whether prescription or non-prescription including vitamins, herbal supplements, medication for the immune system, other cholesterols drugs, medication for infections, birth control pills, medication for heart failure, HIV or AIDs, or Coumadin.

Although unlikely, it is possible for side effects to appear from the use of statins. If you happen to experience the following: vomiting, discolored urine, pain, muscle soreness, stomach pain, or weakness immediately stop taking the medication and contact your doctor.