Information about cholesterol-lowering medicine

Information about cholesterol-lowering medicine

Lowering your "bad" cholesterol (also called LDL, or low-density lipoprotein) can reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. A number of lifestyle changes can help you improve your cholesterol level. However, if these lifestyle changes don't help after about 6 months to 1 year, your doctor may suggest medicine to lower your cholesterol.

Even if you take cholesterol-lowering medicine, it's important to keep up with your lifestyle changes. Eating a healthy diet and being physically active can make your medicine more effective. Your doctor can give you tips on how to make healthy food choices and include physical activity in your daily routine.

Like all medicines, these drugs can cause side effects. However, the side effects usually are not severe and are not experienced very often.

Common side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs include the following:

• Diarrhea or constipation
• Abdominal pain, cramps, bloating or gas
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Headache
• Drowsiness or dizziness
• Muscle aches or weakness
• Flushing (skin turning red and warm)
• Sleep problems

Tell your primary care physician as soon as possible if your side effects become severe.