Over- the -Counter Cholesterol Lowering Drugs in Nigeria, all you need to know about cholesterol dugs in Nigeria.
It is a well documented fact that excess cholesterol in the body can cause heart attacks, heart diseases, stroke, atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular diseases leading to foot and leg gangrene, weak erection, blurring of vision and so on.
Apart from recommending dieting, and regular exercises, your doctor may also place you on some cholesterol lowering medications to help reduce the cholesterol levels in your blood. For your education and enligtenment, it is important you know the names of available over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for cholesterol in Nigeria as listed below.
List of Cholesterol Lowering Drugs in Nigeria
The common medicines used to treat high cholesterol in Nigeria are as follows:
1. STATINS
The commonest cholesterol lowering medication in Nigeria and globally. The common brand names of the statins are: Statins. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) Fluvastatin (Lescol) Lovastatin. Pitavastatin (Livalo) Pravastatin (Pravachol) Rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor) Simvastatin (Zocor). Statins lower LDL cholesterol(bad cholesterol), triglycerides, which are another type of blood fat, and mildly raise your “good” (HDL) cholesterol. The most popular statin in Nigeria is atorvastatin(lipitor). Statins lower the risk of heart attacks.
SIDE EFFECTS: Some reported side effects of the statins are: abdominal cramps, liver damage, elevates blood sugar, and muscle cramps.
2. NIACIN
TRADE NAMES: Niaspan and Nicoar
Niacin also known as nicotinic acid is a Vitamin B3. Niacin helps lower LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). When combined with the statins, they help to further protect the heart against diseases to a greater amount. Please note that Niacin is also present in our natural foods.
SIDE EFFECTS: Flushing, tingling, headaches and itching.
3. BILE ACID SEQUESTRANTS (CHOLESTYRAMINE)
Examples of these drugs are: include: Cholestyramine (Prevalite), Colesevelam, (WelChol), Colestipol (Colestid). Since bile is made largely from cholesterol, they all work in your intestine to prevent bile from being absorbed into your blood thereby reducing cholesterol supply to your body.
SIDE EEFECTS: Constipation, abdominal pains flatulence, and diarrhoea.
4. FIBRATES: REDUCE BLOOD TRYGLYCERIDES
Examples include: Fenofibrate and Gemfibrozil (Lopid). Fibrates reduce blood triglycerides and help increase the body’s HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). However, fibrates are not effective in lowering LDL cholesterol. Fibrates also have been used alone to prevent heart attacks especially in patients with elevated blood triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol levels. They should never be used together with statins because of the risk of muscle toxicity and muscle damage.
SIDE EFFECTS: Abdominal cramps, flatulence, diarrhoea, nausea, vommiting, inflammation of the liver, and gall stones formation.
Fenofibrate is the commonest used fibrate in Nigeria.
Sources:
WebMD
Medicinenet
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