How Do I Lower My Cholesterol?

High cholesterol levels raise the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, and liver disease. Normal cholesterol levels for adults should be less than 200 mg/dL in total. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol should be greater than 60 mg/dL for good health, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol should not be higher than 130 mg/dL.

Healthy Lifestyle Changes

You have the power to lower high cholesterol through effective lifestyle changes.

1. Maintain a Healthy Weight:
   • Healthy weight is determined by body mass index (BMI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains a BMI calculator on its website. Simply plug in your height and weight.
   • If your BMI is over 24.9, it is time to reduce.
   • A healthy diet with lots of whole fruits and vegetables and low in processed sugars, starches, high-fat dairy products, and red meats is essential.
   • Limiting portion sizes and aiming for 1,000 calories per day will result in about a 2-pound per week loss of fat in most people.
2. Exercise Regularly:
   • Daily walks not only help burn calories but also increase HDL, the healthy kind of cholesterol.
   • Swimming and bicycle riding are also good aerobic exercises.

Medications to Lower Cholesterol

When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, rest assured that there are medications available to aid in lowering cholesterol levels.

1. Statins (HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitors):
   • Statins prevent the liver from producing cholesterol. They lower LDL cholesterol, raise HDL cholesterol, and lower triglycerides (blood fats). Examples of statins include:
     • Lipitor (atorvastatin)
     • Lescol (fluvastatin)
     • Mevacor (lovastatin)
     • Pravachol (pravastatin)
     • Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium)
     • Zocor (simvastatin)
2. Bile Acid Binding Agents:
   • These medications work by making the intestine rid the body of more cholesterol. Examples include:
     • Questran (cholestyramine)
     • Colestid (colestipol)
     • WelChol (colesevelam HCl)
3. Fibrates:
   • Fibrates lower the liver’s production of cholesterol and increase blood clearance of triglycerides. Examples include:
     • Lopid (gemfibrozil)
     • Antara (fenofibrate)
     • Atromid-S (clofibrate)

Where Can I Get a Prescription for Statins?

QuickMD can treat your high cholesterol remotely via telemedicine and prescribe Lipitor or any other cholesterol-lowering drugs or statins online.