Is there a better alternative to Lipitor?

Statins like atorvastatin (Lipitor) are first-choice medications for treating high cholesterol. But they're not the right medication for everybody. Along with a healthy diet and exercise, statin alternatives like ezetimibe (Zetia) can be taken with or without statins to help you meet your cholesterol goals.

What is the best substitute for Lipitor?

Is there a safer alternative to Lipitor?

There are many non-statin medications your doctor might prescribe: Bile acid-binding resins, like cholestyramine (Locholest, Prevalite, Questran), colesevelam (WelChol), and colestipol (Colestid) stick to cholesterol-rich bile acids in your intestines and lower your LDL levels.

What is the safest cholesterol medicine on the market?

According to a research review people who take simvastatin (Zocor) or pravastatin (Pravachol) may experience fewer side effects.

What is the new cholesterol drug that is not a statin?

In studies, Nexletol also appears to reduce the risk of muscle pain, a common complaint of people on statins. Nexletol (bempedoic acid) is a new cholesterol-lowering drug.

Statin Alternatives | Straight Talk MD with Dr. Brandy Patterson

What can I do if I don't want to take statins?

Why was Lipitor taken off the market?

Type 2 diabetes -- Lipitor may increase your blood sugar, which could lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. Even though the risk is low, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) considered it serious enough to include a warning regarding raised blood sugar and diabetes on all statin medication.

What are the long term side effects of Lipitor?

What is the first drug of choice for cholesterol?

Statins are the most common medicine for high cholesterol. They reduce the amount of cholesterol your body makes. You take a tablet once a day. You usually need to take them for life.

Can you get off statins once you start?

If you're taking a statin medication to lower your cholesterol, you will need to keep taking your prescription, or your cholesterol will likely go back up. Stopping your statin can put you at risk of having heart disease and other preventable health problems like stroke and heart attack from high cholesterol.

Is taking Lipitor worth the risk?

For most people, the benefits of taking statins will far outweigh the risk. This is especially true if you have already had a heart attack or stroke, or you're at high risk for them. We reviewed guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) published in 2018 and 2019.

Which statin is safest for liver?

It turns out that some statins may be better at preventing liver cancer than others. Specifically, lipophilic statins (those that dissolve more readily in lipids such as oils and fats) may be more effective for preventing liver cancer than hydrophilic statins (those that dissolve more readily in water).

What are the top 5 cholesterol medications?

How can I lower my cholesterol without Lipitor?

What reduces cholesterol quickly naturally?

Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods

Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL cholesterol.

Is 20 mg of atorvastatin a lot?

The usual dose for adults is between 10mg and 80mg a day. Your dose depends on the reason why you're taking it, your cholesterol levels, and what other medicines you're taking.

Which drug has greatest effect on LDL cholesterol lowering?

What happens if you can't take statins?

Doctors often prescribe a fibrate for patients who can't take a statin. Like the statins, fibrates reduce the body's cholesterol production, but they are less effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels.

Do you take Lipitor for life?

Statins are typically very successful at lowering cholesterol, but they only work as long as you're taking them. Therefore, most people who begin taking a statin medication will likely take it for the rest of their lives.

Does Lipitor cause belly fat?

No, weight gain and hair loss are not side effects of Lipitor. But there may be a link between taking statin medications such as Lipitor and an increase in appetite. An older study showed that people taking statins consumed more calories and fat than people not taking such drugs.

What is the downside of atorvastatin?

Worsening liver problems and liver failure

Though rare, atorvastatin (Lipitor) can cause serious liver problems that can lead to liver failure. You'll need to get blood tests to check your liver health before and during treatment to make sure their liver is working properly.

What vitamins should you not take with Lipitor?

Niacin. Niacin, vitamin B3, is a supplement and prescription medication that can interact with atorvastatin. The interaction can increase the chance of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis.

What does Lipitor do to your brain?

While statins have a lot of health benefits and are safe for most people to use, there are some side effects. These can include: Muscle aches and pain. Memory loss or brain fog.

What should a 70 year old cholesterol be?

After having their cholesterol tested, seniors should be given a number between 190 and 260. Healthy seniors should keep their total cholesterol below 200 and their LDL cholesterol around 100. If your elderly loved one's LDL cholesterol level is above 160, he or she must start making sweeping lifestyle changes.

Why do people not want to take statins?

Fear of side effects and perceived side effects are the most common reasons for declining or discontinuing statin therapy. Willingness to take a statin is high, among both patients who have declined statin therapy and those who have never been offered one.