BLOOD FATS
Blood Fats - Drugs to treat: Three types of drugs, Statins, Resins, and Probucol, target LDL Cholesterol. Statins are alleged to have other benefits as well and are now the first choice for most doctors that prescribe drugs for people who require lipid-lowering therapy. One of the well known side effects of first generation Statins was their tendency to cause muscle cramping. This was caused by the fact that the drugs depleted Coenzyme Q10, an important muscle enzyme. Coenzyme Q10 is commercially available as a nutritional supplement in most health food stores.
Blood Fats and Heart Disease (see Cholesterol)
Blood Fats – FIBRATES
Buildup of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases the blood flow and oxygen supply to your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. Lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats may help to decrease your chances of getting heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks. Making certain changes in your daily habits can also lower your cholesterol, triglycerides and blood fat levels.
If healthy lifestyle changes aren't enough to control high cholesterol and triglycerides, your doctor may recommend medication. Medications known as fibrates (such as fenofibrate or gemfibrozil) and nicotinic acids (such as niacin) are often effective for lowering triglycerides. You should eat a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, exercise 30 minutes on most, if not all days, and lose weight if you are overweight.
Source: National Library of Medicine
See also: The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women: NIH, NHLBI, Rev. 2007
Blood Fats – NICOTINIC ACID
Niacin (Nicotinic Acid) is a B-complex vitamin that is used to prevent and treat pellagra (niacin deficiency), a disease caused by inadequate diet and other medical problems. Niacin is also used with diet changes (restriction of cholesterol and fat intake) to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in your blood. Niacin
Buildup of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases the blood flow and oxygen supply to your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. Lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats may help to decrease your chances of getting heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks. Making certain changes in your daily habits can also lower your cholesterol, triglycerides and blood fat levels.
If healthy lifestyle changes aren't enough to control high cholesterol and triglycerides, your doctor may recommend medication. Medications known as fibrates (such as fenofibrate or gemfibrozil) and Nicotinic Acids (such as niacin) are often effective for lowering triglycerides. You should eat a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, exercise 30 minutes on most, if not all days, and lose weight if you are overweight.
(Source: National Library of Medicine, NIH 2007. See also: The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women: NIH, NHLBI, Rev. 2007)
