What Are the Different Prescription Drugs for High Cholesterol?

According to the American Heart Association, in 2006 alone, 34.4 million adults in the United States had a blood cholesterol level of more than 240 mg/dL. Levels this high often qualify the patient for blood cholesterol treatment methods involving prescription medications. Combined with the proper lifestyle changes (such as diet and exercise), cholesterol-lowering medications can help decrease the chance of health problems such as heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

Absorption Inhibitors

• Cholesterol absorption inhibitors are one prescription option for treating high cholesterol. In order for cholesterol from the foods you consume to make it into the bloodstream, they must first be absorbed by the small intestine. Prescription cholesterol absorption inhibitors, such as Zetia (ezetimibe), work by partially preventing the small intestines from being able to absorb cholesterol. Since cholesterol is still an important part of body function, only some of the cholesterol is blocked from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

Statins

• Statins are one of the most commonly prescribed for the treatment of high cholesterol. For your liver to produce cholesterol, it needs an enzyme called HMG-CoA. Prescription statins work by blocking the ability of the liver to produce this enzyme. Without the enzyme, less overall LDL cholesterol is produced by the liver, helping to reduce the overall cholesterol levels in your blood. According to the Mayo Clinic, statins also may help reduce plaque in the arteries from cholesterol buildup. Common statin prescriptions include torvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor) and rosuvastatin (Crestor).

Binding Resins

• Bile-acid-binding resins are another common prescription medication for fighting high cholesterol levels. Bile-acid-binding resins work by increasing the production of bile in the body. Since cholesterol is needed to make bile, the increase in production causes greater amounts of cholesterol to be removed from the blood to fuel the process. Common bile-acid-binding resins include cholestyramine (Questran) and colestipol (Colestid).

Nicotinic Acid

• Nicotinic acid, or Niaspan, is another common medication used to treat high cholesterol levels. Nicotinic acid can be found in both prescription strength and over the counter (as Niacin). Nicotinic acid works by reducing the amount of LDL cholesterol the liver produces.