Lopid Alternatives

A number of other cholesterol medicines can be taken as alternatives to Lopid. Some Lopid alternatives include other fibric acid derivatives (or fibrates), which work by slowing down triglyceride and VLDL production in the liver. A few other alternatives to Lopid include niacin, Lipitor, and combination medicines such as Vytorin and Advicor.
 

An Overview of Lopid Alternatives

Lifestyle changes are the first line of treatment for lowering cholesterol. However, for some people, treating high cholesterol or high triglycerides with a low-cholesterol diet, weight control, and exercise is not enough. If lifestyle changes alone are not enough, your doctor can prescribe medications. One such medicine is Lopid® (gemfibrozil). For most people, Lopid is quite effective at lowering triglycerides and is also generally well tolerated. But Lopid side effects can occur, and people may wish to consider an alternative to Lopid. These alternatives could include other fibrates along with other cholesterol medicines.
 

Lopid Alternatives: Other Fibrates

Lopid is part of a class of drugs known as the fibric acid derivatives (also known as fibrates). It is believed to work by slowing down the production of triglycerides and VLDL (very low density lipoprotein cholesterol) made in the liver. Lopid also causes an increase in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). Depending on the type of cholesterol problem you have, Lopid may decrease LDL (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol levels.
 
In addition to Lopid, there are other fibrates available by prescription. These include fenofibrates (Tricor®, Antara™, Lipofen®, Triglide™, Lofibra®).
 

Lopid Alternatives: Other Cholesterol Medicines

There are many
 types of cholesterol medicines available. Besides fibrates, the other four major classes of cholesterol medications are:
 
There are also combination medicines available (Vytorin®, Advicor®).
 
For lowering cholesterol and/or triglycerides, the type of medicine your doctor recommends will be based on many things, like your levels of total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides; heart disease risk factors; and other medical conditions you may have. Each of these types of cholesterol medicine works a little differently, so depending on your situation, these possible alternatives for Lopid may or may not be the best choice for you.
 
(Click Cholesterol Medications to learn more about these other classes of cholesterol medicines and whether these possible substitutes for Lopid may be a good option in your particular situation.)
Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;