Cholesterol Medications

• Statins
• Resins
• Nicotinic Acid
• Fibrates

Statins

Benefits

• ​Lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Raises HDL (good) cholesterol.
• Lowers triglyceride levels.
• Prescribed for patients with high LDL cholesterol or those at risk of heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Learn what it means to have high LDL cholesterol and what you can do to prevent it »

​Action

• ​​Prevents the liver from producing too much cholesterol.

Potential side effects

• muscle pain
• muscle weakness
• abnormal liver function
• allergic reaction (skin rashes)
• heartburn
• dizziness
• abdominal pain
• constipation

​Common names

• Rosuvastatin (Crestor®)
• Fluvastatin (Lescol®)
• Pravastatin (Pravachol®, Pravigard®)
• Simvastatin (Zocor®)
• Atorvastatin (Lipitor®)
• Lovastatin (Mevacor®, Advicor®, Altoprev®)

​Note

Increased muscle pain and weakness can be a sign of a rare but serious side effect and should be reported to your doctor immediately.

See how medications can help lower your cholesterol (opens in new window) »

Resins

​Benefits

• ​Lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• ​Prescribed for patients with high LDL cholesterol or those at risk for heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Learn what it means to have high LDL cholesterol and what you can do to prevent it »

​Action

• ​​Works inside the intestine.
• The drug binds to bile from the liver and prevents it from going into the circulatory system. Bile is made largely from cholesterol, so these drugs work by depleting the body’s supply of cholesterol.

Potential side effects

• constipation
• gas
• upset stomach

​Common names

• Cholestyramine (Questran®, Questran Light®)
• Colestid (Colestipol®)

​Note

​Any cholesterol-lowering medication can cause muscle pain, muscle weakness, abnormal liver function, allergic reaction (skin rashes), heartburn, dizziness or abdominal pain.

See how medications can help lower your cholesterol (opens in new window) »

Nicotinic Acid

Benefits

• ​Lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Raises HDL (good) cholesterol.
• Prescribed for patients with high LDL cholesterol or those at risk of heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Learn what it means to have high LDL cholesterol and what you can do to prevent it »

​Action

• ​Blocks the production of cholesterol in the body.

Potential side effects

• ​flushing (most common)
• itching, tingling
• headache

​Co​mm​on names

• ​Niaspan (Niacor®)

Note

Nicotinic acid is a B-complex vitamin. It's found in food, but is also available in high doses by prescription.

See how medications can help lower your cholesterol (opens in new window) »

Fibra​​tes

Benefits

• ​​Lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Raises HDL (good) cholesterol.
• Lowers triglyceride levels.
• Prescribed for patients with high LDL cholesterol or those at risk of heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Learn what it means to have high LDL cholesterol and what you can do to prevent it »

​Action

• ​Blocks the production of certain types of cholesterol.
• Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.

Potential side effects

• ​stomach pain
• gas
• heartburn

Common names

• ​Fenofibrate (Lipidil®)
• Bezafibrate (Bezalip®)
• Gemfibrozil (Lopid®)

​Note

Any cholesterol-lowering medication can cause muscle pain, muscle weakness, abnormal liver function, allergic reaction (skin rashes), heartburn, dizziness or abdominal pain.

See how medications can help lower your cholesterol (opens in new window) »