Myths and Facts About Cholesterol Medicines

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    Medicine cures high cholesterol.

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    Medicine cures high cholesterol.

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    Medication can control the problem, but it isn't a cure. You'll need to keep taking your meds so your total cholesterol stays at a healthy level. It will probably go back up if you stop taking them, unless changes in your diet and exercise can keep it down.

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    You'll have to take a statin if you need drugs to lower your cholesterol.

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    You'll have to take a statin if you need drugs to lower your cholesterol.

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    There's a good chance you're on a statin if you're taking pills for cholesterol. It's the most common treatment option. Several other kinds of medications can help you, though. Statins stop your liver from making cholesterol. Other drugs keep your body from absorbing it, raise your level of “good” HDL cholesterol, or help your body clear the "bad" kind, LDL. 

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    Don't want to change your diet? You can just take cholesterol meds.

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    Don't want to change your diet? You can just take cholesterol meds.

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    Medicine is only one part of bringing down cholesterol. Drugs will work better if you eat plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and other heart-smart foods. It's also a good idea to shed pounds if you're overweight. Aim for at least 30 minutes of heart-pumping exercise, like brisk walking, 5 days a week.

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    Statins not only improve your cholesterol, they also lower your chances of: 

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    Statins not only improve your cholesterol, they also lower your chances of: 

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    You help your ticker a lot when you lower the level of "bad" LDL in your blood. Statins cut your risk of a heart attack, stroke, and problems with your arteries. They're the only cholesterol drugs that do that. Sometimes, people who could get heart disease take these meds even if their cholesterol levels are normal.

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    If you forget your pills, double up the next day.

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    If you forget your pills, double up the next day.

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    It's best to take your medicine at the same time every day. Don't stop or change the amount without talking to your doctor. If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But if it's close to the time you normally take it, it's OK to skip the dose you forgot. Don't take two doses to make up for what you missed.  

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    Pregnant women shouldn't take statins.

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    Pregnant women shouldn't take statins.

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    Stay away from these meds if you're a mom-to-be, you're trying to get pregnant, or you're breastfeeding. Your baby needs cholesterol to develop properly. Since these drugs lower cholesterol levels, they can cause birth defects. The medicine also can pass through breast milk and harm your little one. People with certain liver diseases may also need to pass.

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    Cholesterol medicine may help you avoid memory loss. 

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    Cholesterol medicine may help you avoid memory loss. 

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    Some people taking statins said the drugs caused memory problems. But more recent science has debunked those reports and shown that the opposite might be true. Use of statins for a long time might prevent dementia and memory loss, researchers say.

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    When you're on cholesterol medicine, you may need to limit:

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    When you're on cholesterol medicine, you may need to limit:

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    Grapefruit and its juice can affect how well some cholesterol meds work or make side effects worse. Pomegranates and their juice can also cause problems with some drugs. Talk to your doctor to find out if you should limit or steer clear of these fruits.

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    When should you take your pills?

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    When should you take your pills?

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    Some drugs work better if you take them with food. Others work best if you take them before you go to sleep. Follow the directions on the label and talk to your doctor if you have questions.

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    Got muscle pain? Your doctor may suggest:

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    Got muscle pain? Your doctor may suggest:

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    Sore muscles can be a side effect of statins. If yours ache, talk to your doctor. They might lower your medication dose or suggest you take it less often. They might also tell you to take coenzyme Q10 supplements with your medicine. 

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Sources | Reviewed by Nayana Ambardekar, MD on February 02, 2019 Medically Reviewed on February 02, 2019

Reviewed by Nayana Ambardekar, MD on
February 02, 2019

IMAGE PROVIDED BY:

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SOURCES:

American Heart Association: “Drug Therapy for Cholesterol.”

Cleveland Clinic: “Cholesterol Guide: How to Take Your Medicine,” “Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs,” “Plant Sterols and Stanols,” “Statin Medications and Heart Disease.”

European Society of Cardiology: “Statins Prevent Cataracts.”

Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation: “Cholesterol-Lowering Statins May Ward off Dementia.”

FDA: “Controlling Cholesterol with Statins.”

Harvard Medical School: “FDA Changes Safety Information on Statin Drugs.”

Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Complementary and Alternative Medicines,” “How Statin Drugs Protect the Heart.”

National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute: “High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need to Know,” “How is High Blood Cholesterol Treated?”

The Johns Hopkins Lupus Center: “Cholesterol Medications (Statins).”

UpToDate: “Patient information: High cholesterol treatment options (Beyond the Basics).”

U.S. National Library of Medicine: “Coenzyme Q-10.”

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