High cholesterol. Which medicine to take?

Perhaps you have had a routine exam, in which a cholesterol number was reported above the reference values. So what is the medicine that can be taken to lower cholesterol?

If you start to have high cholesterol levels, you should pay attention, since high cholesterol in the blood is detrimental to the health of the arteries.

What is the normal value of cholesterol?

Cholesterol is not bad, but just right. Likewise, cholesterol is used by the body for the synthesis of hormones, bile acids, vitamin D, among others.

Furthermore, cholesterol can be supplied to the body through the diet, or it can be formed de novo in the liver.

What is a reality is that the value of cholesterol cannot exceed 140 mg / dl.

Keep in mind, that the cholesterol called "bad" is actually a transporter of lipids, known as lipoproteins.

In the case of "bad" cholesterol, it is low-density lipoprotein, LDL, whose composition is cholesterol. Unlike "good" cholesterol, HDL.

HDL lipoprotein is of high density, because it carries 50% protein and its cholesterol content is low.

On the other hand, high cholesterol levels are harmful to the arteries, since it can deposit in the muscular layer of the arteries and cause a narrowing of their lumen.

Consequently, a heart attack can develop due to insufficient oxygen supply to the heart.

What is the medicine to take when cholesterol is high?

They are better known as lipid-lowering drugs, statins, or HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors.

Basically, statins inhibit the action of the enzyme that catalyzes an important step in the synthesis of cholesterol.

If the enzyme is prevented from doing its job, the result is a decrease in serum cholesterol levels.

However, these drugs serve other functions and, not just lower cholesterol, some of them are.

• They restore the vascular endothelium, as they improve coronary perfusion.

• Reduces "bad" cholesterol.

• It reduces the inflammatory processes that can occur in the atheroma plaque.

How do statins work in the body?

The route of administration of these drugs is oral, there is no other presentation. They are usually given once a day.

It is relevant to mention that statins cross several barriers, such as the placental barrier, for which they are contraindicated drugs during pregnancy, since they are teratogenic.

Likewise, they cross the blood-brain barrier. Statins are metabolized in the liver and, finally, they are eliminated from the body by the kidney by 20% and in the bile by 80%.

Also, there are statins that are considered high-density, because their effect is better, these are atorvastatin and rosuvastatin.

In addition to the above, the presentation of atorvastatin is 40 and 80 mg, while rosuvastatin is 20 and 40 mg.

Do statins cause any adverse effects?

Of course, medications can cause unwanted effects, but these are usually in small percentages. However, some effects of statins are.

• They are hepatotoxic drugs, which means they could damage the liver. Although it is a rare effect, it should not be overlooked.

• Muscle problems. This is the main adverse effect.

• Gastrointestinal problems. Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, flatulence, among others.

Can I self-medicate?

The answer is no, even if you know that your cholesterol level is high, you cannot start taking statins. Before the medical evaluation is necessary.

It is recommended that you see a doctor, especially if you have associated risk factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle, a history of heart and metabolic diseases, a family history of high cholesterol, among others.

On the contrary, you can begin to implement changes in your lifestyle.

In this sense, if your diet is predominantly processed products, fried food and sweets, you can start making adjustments to your diet.

Along the same lines, exercise. What's more, an extensive routine is not necessary, with which you can run 30 minutes a day is a good way to start.