Whelehans Pharmacy: Should I take cholesterol medication
Ask your pharmacist
Should I take cholesterol medication?
Eamonn Brady is a pharmacist and the owner of Whelehans Pharmacy, Pearse St, Mullingar. If you have any health questions e-mail them to info@whelehans.ie
Statins are world’s most prescribed drugs. The reason statins are so popular is because heart disease is the world’s second biggest cause of death after cancer. Reducing cholesterol if high will greatly reduce the risk of heart disease and death. In Ireland in 2000, heart disease was the leading cause of death being responsible for 41% of all deaths. Experts recommend a level of 5.2 mmol/litre or below to prevent heart disease. Evidence strongly indicates that high cholesterol levels can cause narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), heart attacks, and strokes. The risk of coronary heart disease also rises as blood cholesterol levels increase. If other risk factors, such as high blood pressure and smoking, are present, the risk increases even more.
Treatment
If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, the first method of treatment involves making some changes to your diet (adopting a low fat diet), and regular exercise. In your case, your GP prescribed a statin as this did not work. The problem with cholesterol is that so much of it is down to our genes. It is reckoned that 60% of cholesterol is due to your genes, meaning that it runs in families (as in your case). Like all medicines, statins have risks and benefits. In the case of statins, the benefits generally outweigh the risks.
Cholesterol lowering medication
Statins are the most effective type of cholesterol lowering drugs. There are several types of statins available on prescription, but they all work in the same way. Examples of statins include Atorvastatin, Pravastatin, Rosuvastatin and Simvastatin. According to studies, statins are one of the major reasons for the significant fall in death rate from heart disease in Ireland over the last 20 years. Statins work by blocking the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, an important producer of cholesterol in the liver. Statins are therefore useful in preventing and treating atherosclerosis (blockage of coronary arteries) which can cause chest pain, heart attacks, strokes and cardiac deaths. Statins are more effective in reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol than other cholesterol medication. In next week’s Westmeath Examiner I will discuss which statins are best, how effective are they, who should be prescribed them and their risks.
What is our BPro Cardio Screen Service?
Whelehans now has a cardiovascular health check called BPro Cardio Screen. This test measures the stiffness of your arteries to help identify risk of blockages and your risk of cardiovascular disease and circulation problems. Screening takes a couple of minutes. BPRo is placed like a watch on your wrist and is completely pain free. A pulse wave reads and calculates a wave signal that indicates the elasticity of large, small, and peripheral artery walls as well as tests for stress, central blood pressure, heart rate, and more. It is now only €35 (was €50); it only take about 15 minutes to get checked. Our next clinic is Thursday February 11th from 9am to 5pm. Book by calling Whelehans at 04493 34591.
Disclaimer: Information in this article is general; please ensure you consult with your healthcare professional before making any changes recommended. BPro Cardio is not an alternative to proper medical assessment; it can indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular events but is not a diagnosis.
This article is shortened to fit within Newspaper space limits. More detailed information and leaflets is available in Whelehans