effect side vytorin

"Zetia works only by blocking the absorption of cholesterol, but it has not been shown to produce any health benefits," he says. "I have been skeptical of these drugs from the beginning because I wasn't sure that Zetia's mechanism of cholesterol lowering would produce the same benefits that we see with statins." Granted, statins do have a powerful effect on many and they may be the best solution for those stuck with genetics that call for high cholesterol. But one has to wonder the ultimate cost of these drugs on people. Every year we seem to add one more side effect to the list. If you can control cholesterol relatively well through your lifestyle (i.e., diet and exercise), eat your Cheerios and oatmeal and practice good sleep habits, you stand to gain more than a happy heart. I bet you'd welcome a flurry of positive outcomes, the least of which is no longer needing any medication. These drugs do not cause side effects for most people who take them. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking before using any medicine for the first time. "I encourage people to buy a $10 pedometer to count their steps," says Blumenthal. "It's a simple way to measure your progress, and it's easy to work in walking during the day." "Exercise and dietary changes have a lot of cardiovascular benefits that won't show up on a cholesterol test," says Plutzky. Exercise, eating well, and losing weight can lower blood pressure, lower your heart rate, and decrease your risk of diabetes and other diseases. And remember that your real goal is not merely better cholesterol numbers, but a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. While a few studies of garlic have found a modest benefit, a recent study of policosanol found no effect. However, none of these studies have been large enough to be definitive, experts say. Bile Acid-Binding Resins: Working in the intestines, they bind to cholesterol so the body can excrete it. Drugs include cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite, Lo-Cholest), colestipol (Colestid), and colesevelam (WelChol).