HEALTH ADVICE – TREATING HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Statins are a class of drugs which lower the cholesterol in your body. They may be used to treat:

• Primary hypercholesterolaemia: a high level of cholesterol, usually due to lifestyle factors such as a diet high in fat or not doing enough exercise.
• Familial hypercholesterolaemia: a high cholesterol level due to inheriting a gene which means your liver makes lots of cholesterol.

They may also be used to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke if you have:

• angina (chest pain) or have previously had a heart attack,
• transient ischaemic attacks (mini strokes) or have previously had a stroke,
• peripheral vascular disease (narrowing of blood vessels, usually in the legs),
• diabetes and are over 40, or
• diabetes and are under 40 but have other risk factors for heart disease such as poor blood sugar control, high blood pressure or family history of heart disease in a young relative.

Statins reduce the production of cholesterol by the liver. If you have a high amount of a particular type of cholesterol in your blood, it can form fatty deposits in the lining of your arteries. This causes furring and narrowing of the arteries known as atherosclerosis, which in turn restricts the blood flow and can increase your risk of having heart disease or a stroke.

The liver makes most of your body's cholesterol at night. For this reason, it is recommended that many of the statins are taken in the evening so that the amount of the statin in your body will be highest when the liver is producing the most cholesterol.

Statins are generally very well tolerated and most people will not experience any side effects. However, statins can occasionally cause inflammation and damage to your muscles. You should speak to your doctor if you experience muscle pain, tenderness or weakness that can not be explained (for example, not due to physical work).

Common side effects (one in 10 people) include:

• gastrointestinal disorders, e.g. constipation, diarrhoea, dyspepsia   (acid in the stomach), flatulence (passing wind),
• headache,
• insomnia (difficulty sleeping),
• myalgia (pain in the muscles) and arthralgia (pain in the joints)

If you are interested in how we can help you with the above, either come in to see us or telephone on 01535 634727 or email us at info@crosshillspharmacy.co.uk