With dozens of medicinal options to lower high cholesterol levels, the task to choose a medication in every particular case can be quite challenging. Of course, one of the first questions, arising while evaluating the options, is “How effective is a particular medicine?”
The table below gives the comparison of different medications effectiveness rates. Since treating cholesterol is not only about lowering bad cholesterol, the table also contains data, demonstrating pills’ effectiveness in increasing good cholesterol and lowering triglycerides.
Efficacy rates of the most common cholesterol-lowering medications
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Treatment option
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Efficacy Rates (%)
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Lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
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Increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol
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Lowering triglycerides
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Single-drug therapy
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45 % - 63 %
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3 % - 14 %
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10 % - 35 %
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Lescol (fluvastatin) |
22 % - 35 %
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3 % - 7 %
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12 % - 19 %
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39 % - 60 %
|
5 % - 9 %
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19 % -37 %
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|
|
Niaspan (niacin) |
3 % - 17 %
|
10 % - 26 %
|
5 % - 35 %
|
|
26 %- 47 %
|
8 % – 16 %
|
12 % - 33 %
|
|
|
20.6 %
|
11.0 %
|
28.9 %
|
|
|
Welchol (colesevelam) |
15 % – 18 %
|
3 %
|
9 % - 10 %
|
|
18 %
|
1 %
|
8 %
|
|
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Combined therapy
|
|
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Advicor
(niacin + lovastatin) |
47 % for women
34 % for men
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33% for women
24 % for men
|
48% for women
35 % for men
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|
Caduet
(amlodipine + atorvastatin calcium) |
33.4 % - 49.1 %
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
Niaspan + lovastatin |
30 % – 42 %
|
20 % - 30 %
|
32 % - 44 %
|
|
Welchol + atorvastatin |
48 %
|
11 %
|
1%
|
|
Welchol + simvastatin |
42 %
|
10 %
|
12 %
|
|
Welchol + lovastatin |
34 %
|
4 %
|
1 %
|
|
56 %
|
7 %
|
33 %
|
|
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Zetia + lovastatin |
40 %
|
9 %
|
25 %
|
|
51 %
|
9 %
|
29 %
|
|
|
20 %
|
19 %
|
44 %
|
|
Note: Some table entries contain efficacy ranges, since the efficacy of a particular medication may very depending on the dosage and duration of treatment.
Safety is definitely not the last aspect to consider, since anti-cholesterol medications are usually prescribed for long periods of time and one should be ready for the long-termed influence of the treatment on the organism. The good news is that practically all medications, used to treat high cholesterol levels, are generally well-tolerated and only about 2 % of patients experience side effects. The table below gives the summary of adverse reactions, associated with a particular medication, as well as it explains the mode of action of different options to treat cholesterol.
Mode of action and safety profile of the medications, commonly prescribed for lowering cholesterol levels.
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Medication
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Type of medication
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Mode of action
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Side effects
|
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Statin
|
Statin medications reduce the production of cholesterol by the body itself. They block the effect of enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, thus leading to the reduction of cholesterol production in liver. |
Headache, myalgia, abdominal pain, asthenia, nausea |
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Lescol
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Myalgia, arthritis, sinusitis, bronchitis, dyspepsia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, flatulence, insomnia, headache |
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Infection, headache, flu syndrome, abdominal pain, back pain, constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, flatulence, sinusitis, rash, myalgia |
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Constipation, diarrhea, upset stomach, gas, heartburn, stomach pain, anorexia, loss of appetite, nausea, inflammation of the pancreas, hepatitis, muscle cramps, joint pain; dizziness, headache, insomnia, tingling, rash, itching, blurred vision |
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Niaspan
|
Niacin or nicotinic acid |
Niacin reduces very low-density lipoprotein, which is converted into low-density lipoprotein and as a result reduces this LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol level in the blood. |
Headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, rhinitis, pruritus, rash |
|
Fibrate
|
TriCor works mostly for lowering high triglycerides levels. It blocks VLDL particles and significantly reduces their amount in blood. As the result, triglycerides cannot circulate in the blood stream and are eliminated from the body. |
Abdominal or back pain, headache, asthenia, flu syndrome, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, respiratory disorder |
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Welchol
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Bile acid resin |
Welchol lowers blood cholesterol by absorbing bile acid in the bowel. The body uses bile for production cholesterol, and when there is not enough bile, the body starts to use more cholesterol from blood to produce as much bile as it is necessary for normal fat digestion. This results in lowering cholesterol amount in the bloodstream. |
Infection, headache, pain, flu syndrome, flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, sinusitis, rhinitis |
|
New class medication |
Zetia works in the human digestive tract by blocking cholesterol absorption from foods we consume. |
Fatigue, abdominal pain, diarrhea, sinusitis, back pain, coughing |
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