WelChol Alternatives

Many medications can be used as alternatives to WelChol. Alternatives like cholestyramine and colestipol are fellow bile acid sequestrants that help lower blood cholesterol by removing bile acids from the body. Besides bile acid sequestrants, there are four other major classes of cholesterol medications. Combination medicines like Vytorin and Advicor can also be WelChol alternatives. Factors that may affect which medication your doctor prescribes include your LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels, as well as heart disease risk factors.

 

Alternatives to WelChol: An Overview

Lifestyle changes are the first line of treatment for lowering cholesterol. However, for some people, a low cholesterol diet, weight control, and exercise are not enough to lower cholesterol to a desirable level. If lifestyle changes alone are not enough, your doctor can prescribe medications. One such medicine is WelChol® (colesevelam hydrochloride). For most people, WelChol is quite effective at lowering cholesterol and is also generally well tolerated. But WelChol side effects can occur and people may wish to consider an alternative to WelChol. These alternatives could include other bile acid sequestrants along with other cholesterol medicines.
 
(This article discusses the alternatives to WelChol for treating high cholesterol. For alternatives for diabetes treatment, see Diabetes Treatment.)
 

WelChol Alternatives: Other Bile Acid Sequestrants

WelChol is part of a class of drugs known as the 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. WelChol can lower both total and LDL cholesterol, while slightly raising HDL cholesterol.
 
Besides WelChol, there are other bile acid sequestrants available by prescription. These include:
 
(WelChol Alternatives Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;