![]() If you also have high triglycerides, your doctor might prescribe: They are injected under the skin every few weeks and are expensive. Alirocumab (Praluent) and evolocumab (Repatha) might be used for people who have a genetic condition that causes very high levels of LDL or in people with a history of coronary disease who have intolerance to statins or other cholesterol medications. These drugs can help the liver absorb more LDL cholesterol, which lowers the amount of cholesterol circulating in your blood. This prompts your liver to use excess cholesterol to make more bile acids, which reduces the level of cholesterol in your blood. The medications cholestyramine (Prevalite), colesevelam (Welchol) and colestipol (Colestid) lower cholesterol indirectly by binding to bile acids. Your liver uses cholesterol to make bile acids, a substance needed for digestion. A combination pill containing both bempedoic acid and ezetimibe (Nexlizet) also is available. Adding bempedoic acid (Nexletol) to a maximum statin dosage can help lower LDL significantly. This newer drug works in much the same way as statins but is less likely to cause muscle pain. Ezetimibe can be used with a statin drug. The drug ezetimibe (Zetia) helps reduce blood cholesterol by limiting the absorption of dietary cholesterol. Your small intestine absorbs the cholesterol from your diet and releases it into your bloodstream. Choices include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altoprev), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). This causes your liver to remove cholesterol from your blood. Statins block a substance your liver needs to make cholesterol. The choice of medication or combination of medications depends on various factors, including your personal risk factors, your age, your health and possible drug side effects. But, if you've made these important lifestyle changes and your cholesterol levels remain high, your doctor might recommend medication. Lifestyle changes such as exercising and eating a healthy diet are the first line of defense against high cholesterol. If your child has a family history of early-onset heart disease or a personal history of obesity or diabetes, your doctor might recommend earlier or more-frequent cholesterol testing. Triglycerides* (Canada and most of Europe)įor most children, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends one cholesterol screening test between the ages of 9 and 11, and then be repeated every five years after that. *Canadian and European guidelines differ slightly from U.S. HDL cholesterol* (Canada and most of Europe) Very high, likely representing a genetic condition. Very high if there is coronary artery disease. High if there is no coronary artery disease. ![]() High if there is coronary artery disease. High if there is coronary artery disease.īorderline high if there is no coronary artery disease. Near optimal if there is no coronary artery disease. Near optimal for people with uncomplicated coronary artery disease. Optimal for people at risk of coronary artery disease or who have diabetes. LDL cholesterol* (Canada and most of Europe)īest for people who have coronary artery disease - including a history of heart attacks, angina, stents or coronary bypass. ![]() Total cholesterol* (Canada and most of Europe) To interpret your test results, use these general guidelines. In Canada and many European countries, cholesterol levels are measured in millimoles per liter (mmol/L). In the United States, cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. Some cholesterol tests don't require fasting, so follow your doctor's instructions. Generally you're required to fast, consuming no food or liquids other than water, for nine to 12 hours before the test.
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