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| Lovastatin |
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Review
Summary |
 Often, when we find out that our levels of “bad” cholesterol are too high, we make diet and lifestyle changes, such as reducing our alcohol intake, instituting a low cholesterol diet and starting an exercise plan – whether or not our doctor has prescribed a cholesterol medication. However, very often they include a cholesterol-lowering medication in this regimen, depending upon the LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and the other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
This is because high cholesterol levels may increase risk of heart attack and stroke. Some individuals balk at taking these drugs because they often come along with many side effects – some minor and other potentially quite severe. Nevertheless, Lovastatin is one of the medications often prescribed to get cholesterol back in balance. It is also known as Mevacor, Advicor, Altocor and Altoprev on the open market. However, it is most often referenced as Advicor.
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| Medication at a Glance |
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Advicor is often combined with lifestyle changes, such as diet, weight loss and exercise. Lifestyle changes are often an effective way to start lowering cholesterol levels; although this may not work for everyone. Some experts believe that some individuals are genetically predisposed to produce high levels of cholesterol. Advicor is a Statin, which means that it is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor.
This medication was created to slow the body’s own production of cholesterol. In reality, cholesterol is a fat-like substance, which is used in the body for a variety of biochemical processes, such as building cell membranes and aiding in the synthesis of steroid hormones. Since we also get cholesterol from dietary sources, it may overwhelm the system, forcing our blood cholesterol levels to rise, and increase the risk of a cardiovascular issue.
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| Medication in Focus |
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This class of drugs has been shown to lower cholesterol by 20-60%, through slowing the body’s own production of cholesterol. It is said to do this by inhibiting the enzyme that the liver uses to make cholesterol. It is said to also increase the liver's capability to eliminate the “bad” cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, which is already in the bloodstream.
Statins, such as Advicor, are reportedly the most widely used drug to lower cholesterol levels, because they have been found to be more effective than others. The liver also produces “good” cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is needed to keep the body working effectively. Advicor has also been shown to moderately augment the “good” cholesterol, as well as decrease total cholesterol and triglycerides.
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| Lifestyle |
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Our findings show that individuals who are using Statins, such as Advicor, are looking to reduce their cholesterol levels by 25-30%. If they don’t respond to the original amount prescribed, the dosage is usually adjusted. Advicor is reported to have many possible side effects, which some “experts” suggest are well tolerated, but many people report the opposite. We rarely have any indication that we have high cholesterol, but some individuals report once they start taking these medications, they begin to see and feel a decline in their health.
We find two of the more disturbing side effects of Advicor and other Statins is the potential for extreme muscle pain and muscle disease, which is also known as Statin-induced myopathy; a condition in which an individual develops severe muscle weakness that may be irreversible. Also, serious liver problems have been associated with this class of drugs for some individuals, which are also irreversible, and may be life-threatening. Some other possible side effects include: memory loss, personality changes, irritability, dizziness, nausea and jaundice, as well as sexual dysfunction and performance problems.
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| Positives |
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• May lower bad cholesterol levels, as well as moderately raise good cholesterol levels
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| Negatives |
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• May come with many side effects for some
• May cause liver issues and Statin-induced myopathy
• Difficulty breathing and swallowing a reported side effect for some individuals
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| Final Thoughts |
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Advicor may be a viable medical option for lowering cholesterol levels; however, like all Statins, it may have some significant and dangerous side effects associated with its use for some. As noted above, these side effects sometimes make individuals feel sick, when as before they felt fine. These side effects often prompt people who use these medications to seek out holistic alternatives that are equally as effective, but which do not have side effects. Our findings also show that many individuals opt to use holistic supplementation before ever starting pharmaceutical-grade medications, because they don’t wish to risk these possible side effects, or compromise their lifestyle or health in any way.
Luckily, there are some extremely effective options currently available, such as Plant Sterols, which have gotten the stamp of approval in many clinical studies and by the American Heart Association. We have seen individuals achieve a significant reduction in their cholesterol levels when using Plant Sterols, which have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels in some cases by 25-40%, while increasing overall cholesterol blood panel. These results are equal to those seen in many pharmaceutical-grade cholesterol-lowering medications.
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| Our
Editors Top Choice: |
Week
of: Tue Sep 07th, 2010 |
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CholesterClear®:
CholesterClear® -
Imagine lowering your Cholesterol levels while still being able to eat the foods you love. CholesterClear® is an awesome product which literally blocks the bad cholesterol from being absorbed by the body. It does this naturally and safely because it contains certified organic highly concentrated plant sterols which have been clinically proven to effectively block 42% of the cholesterol in your food from being digested. This substance has been approved by the FDA and American Medical Association as being effective in lowering and preventing high Cholesterol, LDL and HDL levels. With over 1200 published studies declaring it works, how can you go wrong with this? Prescriptions that fight Cholesterol levels also have some ugly negative side effects associated with them – so we recommend checking this product out because it has no side effects what-so-ever. Click Here to read our full review. |
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