Prevalite Alternatives: An Overview
Lifestyle changes are typically the first line of treatment for
lowering cholesterol. However, for some people, treating
high cholesterol with a
low cholesterol diet, weight control, and exercise are not enough. If lifestyle changes alone are not enough, your doctor can prescribe medications. One such medicine is
Prevalite® (
cholestyramine). For most people, Prevalite is quite effective in lowering
cholesterol and is also generally well tolerated. However, side effects can occur, and people may wish to consider Prevalite alternatives. These alternatives could include other bile acid sequestrants or other
cholesterol medicines.
Prevalite Alternatives: Other Bile Acid Sequestrants
Prevalite is part of a class of drugs known as bile acid sequestrants.
It works by binding to bile acids in the intestines, preventing them from being reabsorbed back into the body. Bile acids are made in the liver from broken-down cholesterol. Therefore, removing these substances from your body helps to lower your blood cholesterol. Prevalite can lower both total and
LDL cholesterol.
Besides Prevalite, there are other bile acid sequestrants available by prescription. These include:
There are also other brand name cholestyramine products, including
Questran®, Questran
® Light, and LoCholest
®. Cholestyramine is available in generic forms as well -- Cholestyramine powder and Cholestyramine Light powder.
