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The Effect of Cholesterol Drugs on Liver

Cholesterol is a substance produced in the liver necessary for many processes in the body. Too much cholesterol in the body can lead to heart disease. There are drugs which are specifically designed to stop the production of cholesterol in the liver. An example of medications in this class are Zocor and Lipitor.

  1. Function

    • Zocor, Lipitor and the others in their class work by blocking the enzyme that produces cholesterol. Once this enzyme is blocked by the medication, two things happen. The first is that the body produces less cholesterol. The second is that in order to function properly, the body will pull excess cholesterol from the bloodstream.Together, these effects result in lower cholesterol for the patient.

    Side Effects

    • Because statins work by directly changing the normal processes in the liver, it is possible for someone taking these medications to suffer liver damage. Patients taking statins should have their liver function monitored every 3 to 6 months. Specifically, physicians should look for an increase in hepatic liver enzymes such as transaminase. Persistent elevation of liver enzymes can be a sign of liver damage.

    Other Cholesterol Medications Which Affect the Liver

    • Aside from the statins, there are other cholesterol-reducing medications which can have negative effects on liver function. Niaspan, which is frequently prescribed to lower triglycerides, can also cause an elevation in liver enzymes. Tricor, another medication used to treat high triglycerides, has similar effects on the liver. With most cases of elevated liver enzymes, when the medication was discontinued liver function returned to normal.

    Precautions

    • Because many cholesterol-lowering medications have the same potential to damage the liver, consideration should be given when using these drugs together. In general, the benefit to the patient of using multiple medications should outweigh the risk or other options should be considered.

    Alternatives to Medication

    • For patient's with no genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, lifestyle modification is a way to lower cholesterol without taking medication. Things such as eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly can reduce cholesterol levels. In addition, eating a diet high in fiber helps to remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream.

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