If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medicines to lower it. Along with a heart-healthy diet, these medications can help you prevent heart disease and stroke.
Statins decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol by blocking an enzyme that your liver makes. They also raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels and may reduce blood triglycerides.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat (lipid) that helps perform many important jobs in the body. It's made in the liver and also comes from the foods we eat. Too much cholesterol can lead to heart disease.
Cholesterol can get into the walls of blood vessels and cause them to stiffen or narrow — this is called atherosclerosis. Over time, this can block blood flow to the heart or brain. When this happens, it can cause a heart attack or stroke.
The most common medicines used to lower cholesterol are statins. These reduce levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. Another medicine, ezetimibe, reduces levels of VLDL cholesterol and other lipids. Another, bempedoic acid, stops an enzyme in the liver from making cholesterol and is often used with statins for better benefit.
Why do I have high cholesterol?
Cholesterol is vital for the formation of cell membranes, some hormones and vitamin D. It can't travel through your bloodstream on its own, so it's carried by protein molecules called lipoproteins.
Cholesterol often builds up in the arteries, narrowing them and causing heart disease. This is called atherosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries".
There are usually no symptoms of high cholesterol, so it's important to have your cholesterol levels tested every 5 years. Some groups of people are at higher risk, including:
You can lower your cholesterol by changing your diet and getting more exercise. You can also take medicines. These include statins, ezetimibe and PCSK9 inhibitors. These medicines lower cholesterol and help reduce your risk of heart disease. Your doctor will help you choose the right medicine for you, taking into account your risk and other high cholesterol symptoms in urdu.
How do I lower my cholesterol?
There are a number of steps that you can take to lower your cholesterol naturally, such as eating more fiber and cutting out saturated fats. Talk with your doctor before beginning any new diet and exercise routine.
For example, swapping steak and hamburgers for skinless chicken and fish can help you lower your LDL cholesterol while giving you more protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Try to eat fish like salmon, trout, sardines or chunk light canned tuna at least two to four times per week.
Eating more plant sterols and stanols (natural compounds found in fruits, vegetables, some vegetable oils, nuts and seeds) may also help lower your cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. These compounds are available in margarine (Promise Active and Benecol), orange juice (Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise), rice milk (Rice Dream Heart Wise) and supplemental tablets or capsules, such as Cholest-Off. Another option is the recently approved medication bempedoic acid, or Nexletol, which works by slowing down the production of cholesterol in the liver.
What are the medicines I can take to lower my cholesterol?
When lifestyle changes aren't enough, doctors prescribe cholesterol medicines. These medications reduce your risk of a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event by blocking a substance that your body uses to make cholesterol. The most common type of cholesterol medication is a statin. These drugs lower cholesterol by about 25 percent and are the first line of treatment for people who have a history of cardiovascular disease or high cholesterol.
Other types of cholesterol-lowering medications include ezetimibe (brand name Zetia) and bempedoic acid (Nexletol). Ezetimibe blocks some of the cholesterol you eat from being absorbed in your intestines. Bempedoic acid prevents your liver from processing cholesterol, and it has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.
Fibrates help reduce triglyceride levels and raise HDL cholesterol. They are usually used in combination with other cholesterol-best cholesterol medicine in pakistan.
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