Tricor Uses

Among the licensed uses for Tricor are reducing cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with high triglycerides. The medication works by lowering various types of cholesterol and increasing the breakdown and removal of triglycerides so that there are fewer of them in the body. Tricor should be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes such as limited alcohol use, weight loss, exercise, and a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fats, among other things. Tricor is not approved for use in children, and there are currently no universally accepted off-label Tricor uses.

Tricor Medication

Tricor Uses: An Overview

Tricor^® (fenofibrate) is a medication that has been licensed to treat several conditions. Tricor uses include the reduction of:

Cholesterol levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol). Tricor can reduce both total and LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and raise HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).
Triglyceride levels in patients with hypertriglyceridemia (high triglycerides). Triglycerides are fat-like substances found in the body.

High Cholesterol

High levels of cholesterol in the blood can accumulate on the walls of arteries (known as atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries), leading to decreased blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart, brain, and other areas of the body. This can greatly increase a person's risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, angina (chest pain), a heart attack, and/or a stroke.

Tricor has been licensed for the treatment of high cholesterol, in conjunction with to a low-cholesterol diet and exercise. It works by lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, and apo B (a component of cholesterol that is related to several heart disease risk factors). It can also raise HDL cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol.

In general, cholesterol treatment is aimed at lowering LDL cholesterol levels enough to reduce the risk of developing complications associated with high cholesterol (see Effects of High Cholesterol). The higher your risk, the lower your LDL goal will be.

(Click High Cholesterol Risk to see a list of risk factors that may affect your cholesterol level and some general guidelines about ideal LDL cholesterol levels.)

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