Lipid Disorders Treatment: Medicine

Treatment for high cholesterol is aimed at decreasing not only your cholesterol levels, but also decreasing other risk factors for heart disease and strokes. Medicines prescribed for high cholesterol are best used as additions to diet and exercise and should not replace healthy lifestyle changes.

Your doctor may prescribe medication to help lower your risk for heart disease and to help lower your cholesterol levels. Examples include:

• Statins
• Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
• Cholestyramine (Questran)
• Colestipol (Colestid)
• Niacin (Niacor)
• Ezetimibe (Zetia)

People with high triglycerides may not respond well to statin drugs. Instead, they may need to use high-dose niacin (Niacor) or drugs in the fibrate family (Clofibrate/Atromid-S, Gemfibrozil/Lopid, Fenofibrate/Tricor).

• Lipid Disorders and Statins
• Lipid Disorders and Gemfibrozil
• Lipid Disorders and Cholestyramine
• Lipid Disorders and Colestipol
• Lipid Disorders and Niacin (Niacor)
• Lipid Disorders and Ezetimibe
• Lipid Disorders and Fibrate Drugs
• Talking to Your Doctor About Lipid Disorders

Statins help to lower cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation.

Read more about Lipid Disorders and Statins.

Gemfibrozil decreases production of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglycerides.

Read more about Lipid Disorders and Gemfibrozil.

Cholestyramine resin decreases production of LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

Read more about Lipid Disorders and Cholestyramine.

Colestipol decreases the production of LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

Read more about Lipid Disorders and Colestipol.

Niacin reduces cholesterol production.

Read more about Lipid Disorders and Niacin (Niacor).

Ezetimibe reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed.

Read more about Lipid Disorders and Ezetimibe.

Fibrates decrease the production of triglyerides and increase HDL ("good") cholesterol levels.

Read more about Lipid Disorders and Fibrate Drugs.