High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips
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It is thought that more than seven million Britons take these drugs. You may need to take statins if you’ve had a heart attack or stroke, in order to reduce your risk of another cardiac event. Statins lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, which is often referred to as “bad cholesterol”, and statins reduce the production of it inside the liver.
The NHS says that there are five types of statin available on prescription in the UK. They include atorvastatin, fluvastatin pravastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin.
It notes that a review of scientific studies into the effectiveness of statins found around one in every 50 people who take the medicine for five years will avoid a serious event, such as a heart attack or stroke, as a result.
According to the site RxList, side effects of atorvastatin include mouth and throat pain, as well as cold symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose.
The NHS notes that side effects can vary between different statins.
These include a headache, dizziness, feeling sick, muscle pain, and feeling unusually tired or physically weak.
Others also report digestive system problems. This can include constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion or farting.
Two other common side effects are sleep problems and low blood platelet count, while uncommon side effects include skin problems, such as acne or an itchy red rash.
The NHS adds that statins can occasionally cause muscle inflammation and damage.
Rare side effects include loss of sensation or tingling in the nerve endings of the hands and feet, and tendon problems.
The NHS suggests: “Speak to your doctor if you have muscle pain, tenderness or weakness that cannot be explained – for example, pain that is not caused by physical work.”
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) says that a research study suggested that in very rare cases statins may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
“However statins are among the safest and the most studied medications available today,” it suggests.
You usually have to continue taking statins for life because if you stop taking them, your cholesterol will return to a high level within a few weeks.
The NHS recommends maintaining cholesterol levels below 5mmol/L. In the UK, however, three out of five adults have a total cholesterol of 5mmol/L or above, and the average cholesterol level is about 5.7mmol/L, which can be a risk factor in heart disease.
The NHS explains: “You usually have to continue taking statins for life because if you stop taking them, your cholesterol will return to a high level within a few weeks.”
It adds: “If you want to stop taking your medicine, it’s important to find another way to lower your cholesterol.”
High cholesterol levels can also sometimes be lowered by making changes to your diet.
We need some cholesterol to stay healthy, though there are some forms which are considered bad for us.
The NHS says: “To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat.
“You can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat.”
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