Hypercholesterolemia

What Are Statins and What Do They Do

What Are Statins and What Do They Do Statins are a group of medications that help lower the level of excessive cholesterol in the body. This article is all about how they work, and the potential side effects. Let’s talk about them in detail. So basically, what are statins? Statins is the name given to a group of prescription medicines that reduce the cholesterol levels in the human body. If your lipid profile indicates the cholesterol level in your body to be high, your doctor might prescribe you statins to lower the cholesterol levels to prevent the risk of heart attack and stroke. How do they work? Statins help lower the cholesterol levels of the body via two-fold action. They block the action of the enzyme which helps in cholesterol synthesis, thereby hindering the production of new cholesterol. They help resorb the pre-existing excessive cholesterol in the body. Who needs to take them? Statins are usually prescribed to people with Hypercholesterolemia (excessive blood cholesterol levels) High risk of blood vessel diseases like heart attack and stroke Do statins need to be taken lifelong? Unfortunately, statins therapy goes a long way. Even if you don’t take statins lifelong, you need to take them for quite a long duration for the medication to effectively bring down the cholesterol levels. However, it is possible to come off statins therapy if you manage to lower the cholesterol levels with regular statins use and low-fat diet. Do statins have any side effects? Statins are usually well-tolerated by people. However, long term use of statins is associated with certain side effects including Headache Dizziness Nausea Diarrhea or constipation Body aches Muscle and joint pain The rather sinister side effects associated with statins include Low platelet counts Increased risk/worsening of type 2 diabetes Muscle cell damage Kidney damage Liver damage Memory disturbances Drug interactions How to take statins? Statins are usually prescribed to be taken at night time since cholesterol production is the highest at night. Depending on dose and the type of medication, statins are usually prescribed to be taken after meals before going to bed. However, certain statins are best taken at morning. If deemed necessary by the physician, statins may be prescribed for twice daily use. References https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/statins/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/statins/art-20045772

How your lifestyle affects your cholesterol levels

How your lifestyle affects your cholesterol levels Just like your actions define your personality, your lifestyle choices have a big impact on your health. From every morsel that you put in your mouth to your hobbies, your lifestyle has a major bearing on your body fat levels and cardiovascular health. It is imperative to understand that your cardiovascular health is a byproduct of a lot of factors. Some of these factors like genetic predisposition, gender and age are non-modifiable. But there are others that are under your control-your lifestyle. Let’s talk about it in detail. Diet If your diet is loaded with saturated and trans fats, you are on the surest path towards high cholesterol. Unsaturated fats and omega 3 fats are what you need for a healthy heart. Avoid excessive meat, whole-fat dairy products, and partially hydrogenated oils. Replace them with natural oils like olive oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil which are rich sources of unsaturated fats. Foods like avocados, nuts, sesame seeds, fish, etc. have a healthier fat profile and are beneficial for you. Physical activity It goes without saying that a sedentary lifestyle is directly proportional to fat accumulation in the body. The calories you consume need to be spent through physical activity, otherwise, all the excess calories pile up and blow your body’s natural balance of cholesterols out of proportion. Take that flight of stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the next block instead of taking the cab. Light aerobic exercises like walking, running, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc. can help keep you active to burn all those excessive fats from your body to keep your heart and vessels healthy. Weight Excessive body weight has been linked with disruption of cholesterol metabolism. High body weight is linked with insulin resistance which results in decreased cholesterol removal and increased cholesterol production. In order to keep a healthy cholesterol profile, it is imperative to control body weight. With the right diet and consistent exercise, it is not hard to maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). Smoking Smoking has disastrous effects on lipid metabolism in the body. Excessive smoking has been shown to lower the level of HDL cholesterol-the good fats-in the body. On the other hand, it elevates the level of bad fats including LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. The net effect is the deterioration of cardiovascular health. For optimal cardiovascular health, avoid cigarette smoking, and vaping. Alcohol use Alcohol consumption has been linked with disturbance of cholesterol metabolism with the deposition of excessive fats in the liver. Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels) has been linked with excessive alcohol use. Therefore, avoid drinking too many alcoholic beverages for a healthy lipid profile. Bottom line Adopting healthy lifestyle choices like a healthy diet and regular exercise can help control your cholesterol levels from skyrocketing in the first place. If you are on cholesterol-lowering drugs, comply with your medication and regularly follow-up with your GP for a healthy lipid profile. References https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2002.46 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20550509/ https://www.jlr.org/content/20/3/289.short