Medicine For High Triglycerides And Cholesterol

What Are Normal And High Triglyceride Levels

The National Cholesterol Education Program sets guidelines for triglyceride levels:

• Normal levels: Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter
• Borderline high:150 to 199
• High: 200 to 499
• Very high: 500 or more

Elevated levels may lead to heart disease, especially in people with low levels of “good” cholesterol and high levels of “bad” cholesterol. The same is true if you have type 2 diabetes.

Experts once debated how important triglycerides are, but it now seems clear that higher levels are linked to problems such as heart disease.

One thing is clear, though: A good diet and exercise plan can lower triglyceride levels, improve cholesterol, and decrease the chance of heart disease.

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Which Medicines Can Lower Triglycerides

For some people, good habits may not be enough. Medication might be needed. The decision for you and your doctor can be complicated because other health conditions are usually involved. Several types of medicine can improve levels. They include:

• High doses of omega-3s are needed to lower triglycerides and should be taken only under a doctor’s care. Epanova, Lovaza, and Vascepa are prescription forms of omega-3s.

Your doctor may also prescribe a class of drugs called âstatinsâ that lower cholesterol. Examples include: atorvastatin , rosuvastatin , and simvastatin .

You may feel side effects from these drugs. Be sure to talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist.

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Other Important Cardiovascular Risk Markers

Third factor is that lipid markers, even the good ones, are only one part of the puzzle when it comes to quantifying overall risk. We need to look at things like family history, inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, Lp-PLA2, oxidized LDL, metabolic markers, so things like fasting insulin, fasting glucose, fasting leptin, post-meal blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, and a variety of other markers that tell us whats happening with metabolic function. Hypertension and smoking are two of the strongest risk factors for heart disease, hands down, so those of course should always be looked at. Diet, lifestyle, stress, nutritional statuseither not enough of nutrients like vitamin D or too much of a nutrient like iron can increase the risk of heart disease. Status of the gut microbiota, there is an increasing amount of research that shows that this plays a significant role in heart disease pathogenesis.

There are other types of testing that look for objective evidence of plaque accumulation, like a calcium score and CIMT, and these are tests that a doctor can do when/if they are warranted, and they provide a different angle. The lipid markers are just looking at blood markers that are typically associated with heart disease, but a calcium score and carotid intima-media thickness test can tell you whats actually happening in terms of plaque accumulation.

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Who Can Take Statins

You might be prescribed a statin if you have heart disease or another disease of the heart and blood vessels, or if you are at risk of developing them in the next 10 years.

If you have high cholesterol

You should be offered a statin if you have high cholesterol and lifestyle changes havent been enough to bring it under control.

Depending on your cholesterol levels and how healthy you are otherwise, you and your doctor or nurse might want you to try to bring your cholesterol levels down with a healthy diet and lifestyle first, before starting statins.

If you are at risk of developing heart disease

You will probably be prescribed a statin if you are at high risk of developing heart disease or a disease of the blood vessels. For example, if you have:

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Start Taking A Statin Medication

For most people who have moderate to high risk for heart attacks and strokes, the best thing that we can do to both impact their cholesterol levels and impact their overall risk for stroke and heart attack is start a statin medication, said Dr. Kirley. A statin medication changes the way cholesterol is metabolized in your body so that you ultimately have lower levels of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream, particularly that LDL cholesterol that we worry about.

We often hear a lot of fear around taking statin medications, she said. Perhaps the biggest misconceptions I see are that these medications are not safe or that they cause other diseases.

Statin medications are among the most studied medications that we use in medicine. They have a wonderful safety profile and great evidence for effectiveness, Dr. Kirley added.

2016 study , garlic and lemon juice may be effective at lowering cholesterol.

The study looked at people with moderately high cholesterol levels. It found that people who consumed 20 grams of garlic with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per day experienced a significant decrease in their LDL and total cholesterol levels compared with those who did not have garlic and lemon juice.

Pharmacokinetics And Drug Interactions

Omega-3 ethyl esters and fatty acids are absorbed by the GI tract similar to other dietary lipids. It is worth noting that omega-3-free fatty acids are directly absorbed by the small intestine and are not dependent on pancreatic lipases for absorption. Thus, absorption of omega-3-fatty acids is not decreased in patients with pancreatic insufficiency and therefore may be preferred in patients with pancreatic disease. Additionally, the bioavailability of omega-3-fatty acids with a low fat diet was greater than omega-3-ethyl esters while there was little difference between these different formulations with a high fat diet .

Drug interactions have not been seen with omega-3-fatty acids .

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Symptoms Of High Triglycerides

There are usually no clear symptoms of high triglycerides which is why it is so important to have blood work done regularly to monitor these levels before they get out of hand.

In cases of severely high triglyceride levels, an individual may experience chest pain, numbness, dizziness or confusion. Consequently, when triglyceride levels get too high, the blood supply can become blocked to the heart and brain. Very high triglyceride levels can also cause fat deposits to develop under the skin and pancreatitis.

What Are Some Things That May Contribute To High Cholesterol And Triglycerides

We often associate high cholesterol and triglyceride levels with obesity, stress, lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, and poor diet. However, there are many things that may contribute to these conditions.

One of the most common causes of high cholesterol and triglycerides is a diet rich in saturated fats. Saturated fat is found in red meat, dairy products, butter, cheese, and eggs. These foods contain large amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat.

Another cause of high cholesterol and triglyceride levels is a diet lacking in fiber. Fiber helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides by removing excess cholesterol and triglycerides from the body.

Other factors that may contribute to high cholesterol and triglyceride include genetics, age, gender, hormones, medications, and lifestyle choices.

To reduce your risk of developing high cholesterol and triglycerides, try making some simple dietary changes. Avoiding processed food and eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fish, and poultry may help.

Also, avoid trans fats, which are found in fried foods, baked goods, snack foods, and fast food. Trans fats raise bad cholesterol and decrease good cholesterol . Theyre linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and weight gain.

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What Are The Types Of Medicines That Treat High Cholesterol

Several types of medicines help lower LDL cholesterol. The chart below describes each type and how it works.

Cholesterol Lowering Medications

How It Works
Statins	Statin drugs lower LDL cholesterol by slowing down the livers production of cholesterol. They also increase the livers ability to remove LDL cholesterol that is already in the blood.
Bile acid sequestrants	Bile acid sequestrants help remove cholesterol from the bloodstream by removing bile acids. The body needs bile acids and makes them by breaking down LDL cholesterol.
Niacin, or nicotinic acid	Niacin is a B vitamin that can improve all lipoprotein levels. Nicotinic acid raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels while lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
Fibrates	Fibrates lower triglycerides through several complex mechanisms including reducing triglyceride production in the liver. They may also increase removal of LDL particles and increase apoA-I and apoA-II in the liver which may contribute to increase in HDL cholesterol levels.1
Injectable medicines	Medicines called PCSK9 inhibitors lower cholesterol-increasing LDL receptors. This results in a decrease in LDL cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream.2 These medicines are used in people who have familial hypercholesterolemia , a genetic condition that causes very high levels of LDL cholesterol and people with clinical ASCVD who require lower LDL cholesterol levels.3

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What Are The Best Medications For Lowering Cholesterol

Here are five of the best medication options for lowering cholesterol. Some of the items in this list are herbal/natural supplements.

• Concerning Life Cholestro Destroyer

• Dr. Tobias Triple Strength Omega-3 Fish Oil

Overview:

This is a 100% natural cholesterol management supplement. Its primary function is to lower harmful cholesterol levels. An add-on function is helping improve the patients immune system while keeping the heart healthy and protected.

UltaLife Premium Cholesterol Support is made of the most exquisite heart-healthy ingredients like niacin, plant sterols, cayenne herb powder, guggulipids, policosanol, and garlic herb powder. Cayenne helps eliminate or lessen the build of plaque on the arterial walls.

Normal Cholesterol High Triglycerides

Even though your latest physical may have shown that your cholesterol levels are normal, you may still be at risk for heart disease if your triglycerides level is high.

A 20-year study conducted by the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine found that a pattern of elevated levels of triglycerides, the main form of fats circulating in the bloodstream, even when cholesterol levels are normal, can mean a two- to three-fold increase of deaths by cardiovascular disease.

Blood triglycerides come from two main sources: the food you eat-especially sugar, animal products and saturated fats-and from your liver. Although its not exactly clear how, high triglyceride levels can result in hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls , which can raise your risk for stroke, heart attack, and heart disease.

• Normal triglyceride levels are less than 150 milligrams per deciliter
• Borderline high is 150-199 mg/dl high is 200-499 mg/dl
• Very high 500 mg/dl. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dl or above is considered a risk for metabolic syndrome-a constellation of conditions resulting from too much fat around the waist-which in addition to raising your risk for heart disease, it can also increase your risk for diabetes.

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Why Do Doctors Focus On My Ldl Cholesterol

Some cholesterol is necessary for normal cell and body function. But too much cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis , which results in heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

There are two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein . The amount of each that circulates in your blood is added together to form your total cholesterol number. Thus, focus on total cholesterol can be confusing as it may be elevated due to high HDL cholesterol.

When your LDL cholesterol is above 130 it is considered borderline, while above 160 is considered high. Ideally, we would all have an LDL under 100 , but not everyone needs medications above this level.

We focus on the bad cholesterol because it is one of the main culprits responsible for blocking and hardening the arteries. A blocked artery can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Statin therapy helps control the bad cholesterol of patients who are at high risk for heart disease, stroke, and other serious cardiovascular events. In general, the lower your LDL levels, the better off you will be.

Theres a lot of science around how HDL cholesterol affects your risk for heart disease. But its the function how well it works that may be more important thanhow high its level is.

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How Quickly Can I Lower My Cholesterol

Your cholesterol levels may lower as quickly as a few weeks to a few months, depending on your treatment plan.

If your levels are very high, your healthcare provider may recommend taking medications at the start of your treatment plan. This may help lower your cholesterol levels more quickly. The sooner you can lower your bad cholesterol levels, the sooner you can lower your risk for plaques to form.

You can also lower your cholesterol through lifestyle and diet changes alone, but it may take three to six months to see results. Talk with your healthcare provider to figure out the best treatment plan for you.

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Moderate Hypertriglyceridemia Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease

In the era of statin therapy, it is uncertain whether lowering TG levels in patients on statin therapy will further reduce cardiovascular events. As discussed in detail in the sections on individual drugs, the studies carried out so far have not shown that adding niacin or fibrates to statin therapy is beneficial with regards to cardiovascular disease. As also discussed, the available studies have major limitations because many of the patients in these outcome studies did not have substantial elevations in TGs and therefore the issue is an open question that requires additional studies. Notably, the REDUCE-IT trial, which tested the effect of high dose EPA in patients with elevated TG levels and the JELIS trial which tested the effect of EPA 1.8 grams per day in patients with high cholesterol levels demonstrated a reduction in cardiovascular events. However, in both of these trials the decrease in cardiovascular events was considerably greater than one would expect based on the reduction in TG levels suggesting that the decrease in cardiovascular events was not solely due to lowering TG levels and that other effects of EPA likely played a role.

What Are The Different Types Of Medicines For Cholesterol

There are several types of cholesterol-lowering drugs available, including:

• Statins, which block the liver from making cholesterol
• Bile acid sequestrants, which decrease the amount of fat absorbed from food
• Cholesterol absorption inhibitors, which decrease the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food and lower triglycerides.
• Nicotinic acid , which lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and raises HDL cholesterol. Even though you can buy niacin without a prescription, you should talk to your health care provider before taking it to lower your cholesterol. High doses of niacin can cause serious side effects.
• PCSK9 inhibitors, which block a protein called PCSK9. This helps your liver remove and clear LDL cholesterol from your blood.
• Fibrates, which lower triglycerides. They may also raise HDL cholesterol. If you take them with statins, they may increase the risk of muscle problems.
• Combination medicines, which include more than one type of cholesterol-lowering medicine

There are also a few other cholesterol medicines that are only for people who have familial hypercholesterolemia . FH is an inherited disorder that causes high LDL cholesterol.

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Will A Keto Diet Lower Triglycerides And Cholesterol

No, keto diets have been shown to increase cholesterol levels. The Mediterranean diet, however, has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiac events.

The Mediterranean diet promotes eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats daily eating fish, poultry, beans, and eggs weekly reducing portions of dairy and limiting red meat.

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How Are Fats And Cholesterol Connected In Cats

Fats, including cholesterol, are carried in the blood in complex compounds that also contain protein: so-called lipoproteins.

These include triglycerides, cholesterol and phospholipid linked to apopproteins, which are manufactured in cells of the liver and intestines. Apolipoproteins are synthesized in the liver or in intestinal cells.

There are four major lipoprotein classes in cats, as follows:

Chylomicrons and Very low density lipoproteins carry triglycerides in the blood

Low density lipoproteins and High density lipoproteins carry cholesterol in the blood. In cats, HDL outnumbers LDL by 5:1, while in humans, LDL is the main carrier of cholesterol.

Many humans are aware of these abbreviations from their own blood test results, but its important to remember that the significance of abnormal levels is very different in humans compared to cats.

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