Cholesterol medications

Question 1

Lipid-Lowering Drug Therapy

An estimated 31.9 million American adults have cholesterol levels greater than or equal to?

Answer 1

240 mg/dL (6.2 mmol/L)

Question 2

Guidelines for treatment of high cholesterol focus on LDL cholesterol. A complete lipid profile is recommended every 5 years beginning at age 20. Guidelines recommend the following groups of people receive statin therapy:

Answer 2

(1) patients with known CVD
(2) patients with primary elevations of LDL cholesterol levels greater than or equal to 190 mg/dL (e.g., familial hypercholesterolemia)
(3) patients between 40 and 75 years old with diabetes and LDL cholesterol levels between 70 and 189 mg/dL
(4) patients between 40 and 75 years old with LDL cholesterol levels between 70 and 189 mg/dL and a 10-year risk for CVD of at least 7.5%

Question 3

Lipid lowering drugs: Treatment also includes weight loss (if overweight), decreased dietary fat and cholesterol intake, and increased physical activity. Serum lipid levels should be reassessed when?

Answer 3

after 6 weeks of therapy. If they remain elevated, changes in drug therapy and additional dietary options should be considered.

Question 4

Drugs That Restrict Lipoprotein Production
imageHMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (Statins).
1) The statin drugs are the most widely used lipid-lowering drugs. These drugs do what?
2) An unexplained result of the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis is?
3) In addition, statins produce a small increase in?
4) Serious adverse effects of these drugs are rare and include?
5) Liver enzymes are?
6) Creatine kinase isoenzymes (e.g., CK-MM) should be assessed when?

Answer 4

1) inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver.
2) an increase in hepatic LDL receptors. Consequently, the liver is able to remove more LDLs from the blood.
3) HDLs and lower CRP levels.
4) liver damage and myopathy that can progress to rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle).
5) (e.g., aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase) are initially monitored and rechecked with any increase in dosage.
6) if symptoms of myopathy (e.g., muscle aches, weakness) occur