Cholesterol Articles A-Z
Dosing with lovastatin generally starts at 20 mg for adults and 10 mg to 20 mg for children. As this eMedTV page explains, depending on whether cholesterol goals are reached or if side effects occur, dosages can be adjusted accordingly.
Drug Interactions With Cholestyramine
This eMedTV page lists medicines that may cause drug interactions with Cholestyramine, such as phenobarbital, ursodiol, and warfarin. The mixture of drugs may bind to the intestines, preventing them from fully absorbing into the body.
Drug Interactions With Fenofibrate
This eMedTV page contains a list of medicines that can cause adverse drug interactions with fenofibrate. When these drugs are taken with fenofibrate, serious side effects can occur, including increased risk of kidney and muscle problems or bleeding.
Drug Interactions With Lovastatin
Some of the drugs that can interact with lovastatin include digoxin, niacin, and fibrates. As this eMedTV page explains, some of the drug interactions with lovastatin can cause severe side effects and complications, including serious muscle problems.
The effects of high cholesterol due to atherosclerosis include angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. This eMedTV Web page provides detailed information about these and other life-threatening effects of high cholesterol.
Research on exercise and cholesterol shows that activities such as gardening and playing sports not only lowers LDL cholesterol, it also raises HDL cholesterol. This eMedTV segment explains the relationship between exercise and cholesterol in detail.
Fenofibrate is used to decrease cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body. This selection from the eMedTV library gives a brief overview of the drug and provides a link to more information. Fenofibrat is a common misspelling of fenofibrate.
Fenofibrate is a medicine commonly used to help decrease cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body. This eMedTV segment offers a more in-depth look at the drug, including its uses, effects, and general dosing information.
This eMedTV page offers a list of fenofibrate alternatives, such as other cholesterol drugs or other fibrates. Other classes of cholesterol drugs include such things as bile acid sequestrants, statins, niacin, and cholesterol absorption inhibitors.
Fenofibrate dosing varies, depending on the brand of medicine and the condition being treated. This eMedTV page lists other factors that determine a fenofibrate dose, such as your age, other medical conditions you have, and medicines you are taking.
Fenofibrate is used to treat high cholesterol and high triglycerides. This portion of the eMedTV library briefly discusses this drug and how it works and also provides a link to more information. Finofibrate is a common misspelling of fenofibrate.
Despite the many benefits associated with it, using fish oil to increase HDL is not effective. This eMedTV resource discusses the benefits that fish oil does offer and includes tips on how you can increase HDL levels through lifestyle changes.
Flaxseed is claimed to provide several different benefits, which this eMedTV article describes. Forms in which flaxseed is available and a few side effects to be aware of are also included. Flaxeed is a common misspelling of flaxseed.
Flaxseed is a natural product that is used to lower cholesterol and relieve constipation. This eMedTV article explores other uses for this product, explains why it may provide health benefits, and discusses the safety and effectiveness of flaxseed.
Breastfeeding women should have no problems taking normal amounts of flaxseed. This eMedTV page provides more information on flaxseed and breastfeeding, and explains why high levels of flaxseed can reduce the quantity and quality of breast milk.
Flaxseed is probably safe for most pregnant women, especially when consumed in normal dietary amounts. This eMedTV segment offers more information on flaxseed and pregnancy, and explains why consuming large amounts of flaxseed could be dangerous.
Flaxseed is a dietary supplement thought to help with high cholesterol and constipation. This eMedTV Web presentation discusses flaxseed, including whether it works, if it is safe, and dosing information.
Instead of sticking to a "flaxseed dosage," you may find it easier to just include flaxseed in your diet. This eMedTV page explains how flaxseed can be incorporated into foods and drinks, and offers some precautions for taking this product.
Medicines that may cause flaxseed drug interactions include NSAIDs, aspirin, and warfarin. This eMedTV Web page explains why it is important to take oral medications a few hours apart from flaxseed and lists other drugs that may cause an interaction.
A flaxseed overdose may cause upset stomach, bloating, and diarrhea. As this eMedTV resource explains, these effects are due to the high fiber content in flaxseed. Potentially dangerous effects of a flaxseed overdose are also listed in this article.
Make sure to take flaxseed with plenty of water. This part of the eMedTV library contains a list of other important flaxseed safety warnings and precautions, and explains how flaxseed may cause problems in people with certain medical conditions.
Potential flaxseed side effects include gas, bloating, and heartburn. This page on the eMedTV Web site lists other possible side effects that may occur with flaxseed products. Flaxseed side affects is a common misspelling of flaxseed side effects.
Potential flaxseed side effects include indigestion or heartburn, gas, and nausea. As this eMedTV resource explains, starting flaxseed at a low dose and increasing it slowly may help prevent these digestive side effects.
Fluvastatin extended-release is a drug that is used to treat high cholesterol and high triglycerides. This eMedTV Web page provides an overview of this statin drug and its effects, dosing, possible side effects, and other uses.
Foods high in cholesterol include meat, eggs, butter, cheese, and whole milk. This portion of the eMedTV archives provides other examples of such foods, as well as those containing saturated fat and trans fat, some of which are plant-based.
Foods high in cholesterol typically come from animals; however, as this eMedTV resource explains, a few plant-based foods can affect cholesterol levels as well. Foods high in cholestorol is a common misspelling of foods high in cholesterol.
Foods that lower cholesterol contain plant sterols, plant stanols, or soluble fiber. Examples of foods that lower cholesterol in this eMedTV page include lentils and oatmeal. Foods with soy protein aren't considered foods that lower cholesterol.
While scientists have not yet found foods that raise HDL levels consistently, as this eMedTV segment explains, there are foods that are proven to lower LDL cholesterol and decrease the risk for heart disease, such as walnuts, garlic, and fatty fish.
Foods to Avoid for High Cholesterol
Foods to avoid for high cholesterol include organ meats, butter, and egg yolks. This page of the eMedTV website lists additional foods to avoid, including not only high cholesterol foods, but also those containing saturated fat and trans fat.
At this point, researchers have not yet found any foods to increase HDL levels; however, as this eMedTV Web page explains, there are foods that can lower LDL cholesterol. This page also offers a list of foods that can improve heart health.
There is currently no generic Antara available on the market. As this eMedTV segment explains, many companies claim they sell a generic version, but until the patent expires in 2008, these fake drugs are potentially dangerous and should be avoided.
This eMedTV page explores the issues surrounding generic Caduet and its availability. Although the patent is due to expire in 2018, a court case may rule the patent invalid. The possibility to minimize drug costs by taking Caduet is also discussed.
This page of the eMedTV Web site describes the two generic cholestyramine medicines that are currently on the market. Cholestyramine powder and Cholestyramine Light powder are available in regular powder form as well as single packets.
There is currently no generic Lescol available. As this eMedTV article explains, although some companies claim to sell generic Lescol, these drugs are fake. A generic version is not expected to be made until 2012, when the Lescol patent expires.
There is no generic Lipitor available at this time; however, this section of the eMedTV library discusses possible alternatives to a generic Lipitor, including generic versions of other cholesterol medications.
This section of the eMedTV library offers an overview of generic Lopid, which is available through several companies as Gemfibrozil tablets 600 mg. The article also lists the main uses of Lopid and the companies that manufacture generic Lopid.
Generic Niaspan is sold under the name Niacin Extended-Release tablets. This eMedTV Web page lists the forms and strengths of generic Niaspan currently available, as well as a few of the companies that manufacture it.
A generic Pravachol is currently available. This eMedTV article offers a detailed description of the generic drug, lists its various strengths, and explains the process of getting approval for making a generic version of a drug.
There are two forms of generic Prevalite available: Cholestyramine powder and Cholestyramine Light powder. This eMedTV segment offers a more in-depth look at these generic forms of the drug and the various strengths available.
A generic Tricor drug will not be available until after the patent for Tricor expires in 2009. This eMedTV Web page warns against buying any of the fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous drugs currently sold as generic versions of Tricor.
A generic Vytorin currently does not exist. As this eMedTV resource explains, the patent for Vytorin expires in 2013 and until then, other drug manufacturers are not allowed to make a generic version of this cholesterol medicine.
A generic WelChol will not be available until after the drug's patent expires in 2014. However, as this eMedTV Web article warns, online companies advertise generic versions of WelChol that are substandard and dangerous. Don't be fooled.
A generic Zetia drug will not be available until the patent for Zetia expires in 2013. However, this eMedTV page lists some other classes of cholesterol drugs that are also effective at lowering cholesterol, including fibrates, statins, and nicotinic acid
Generic Zocor is available in several strengths and is sold under the name Simvastatin tablets. This eMedTV page lists some specific strengths of generic Zocor and the companies that manufacture it -- IVAX Pharmaceuticals and Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals.
The term "good cholesterol" refers to high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This eMedTV resource provides an overview of good and bad cholesterol and explains how improving your good cholesterol levels can lower your risk of heart disease.
Despite popular belief, just having a healthy total cholesterol is not enough to ensure good health. This eMedTV resource explains why good cholesterol levels for HDL and LDL are actually more important than total cholesterol levels.
Some types of statins do not mix well with grapefruit, and Advicor is one of those medicines. This page of the eMedTV archives describes the interaction between the two and lists the potential complications that may occur.
People taking Pravachol don't need to avoid grapefruit products. As this eMedTV page explains, grapefruit and Pravachol don't appear to significantly interact with one another. This page also covers grapefruit's effects on some of the other statins.
When grapefruit juice and Vytorin are combined, a negative reaction occurs. As this eMedTV resource explains, even one glass of grapefruit juice a day can significantly increase the levels of simvastatin (a component of Vytorin) in the blood.
As this eMedTV Web page explains, grapefruit juice and Zocor can interact with each other to raise levels of Zocor in the blood and increase the risk of developing a serious muscle problem in some people.
Your body needs HDL (a type of cholesterol) to function properly. This page of the eMedTV archives provides a detailed look at HDL, including what it does, what the numbers mean, and how you can increase it in your system.