Statin Alternatives

What is Statin?

Statin is a drug which is prescribed for people who have the problem of high cholesterol. The drug is used to lower cholesterol by blocking those substances that lead to its creation. Besides lowering cholesterol, the drug also has the power to lower down the risk of heart diseases like stroke and attack. The drug can also eliminate the problem of creating blood clots on the walls of blood vessels.

Why Statin Alternatives?

Statin is an effective drug in lowering down cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart attack. But there are a few disadvantages of this drug which are listed below −

• It can lead to pain and damage of muscles

• It can damage the liver

• Blood sugar can increase

• Can lead to deficiency of vitamin D

How to choose a Statin Alternative?

If statin is not suitable for you then there are many alternatives which you can choose from. You need to look for the following benefits in the alternative that is provided by statin −

• It helps in the reduction of cholesterol

• Protects cardiovascular system

• Reduces inflammation in the circulatory system

Top 10 Statin Alternatives

There are many alternatives to statin and people can go for them if statin is not suitable. These alternatives are discussed here in detail.

Alternative 1 – Fibric Acid

Fibric Acid has been certified by Food and Drug Administration as it has the ability to lower down the bad cholesterol that is LDL. It also helps in reducing triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, and total cholesterol. The acid can also increase the level of HDL cholesterol which is good for the body. Doctors check the effect of the drug after two or three months to determine whether it is effective. Its treatment is stopped seeing the non-effectiveness of the drug.

Alternative 2 – PCSK9 inhibitors

PCSK9 inhibitors can be used with or without statins. The drug starts working by getting attached to liver protein. The drug is produced in the lab by making a clone of white blood cells. The drug is given in the form of an injection through the stomach area, upper arms, or thighs. The drug can lead to skin reaction so it should not be injected twice at the same place.

Alternative 3 – Ezetimibe

Ezetimibe is a drug which is considered as one of the best alternatives to statins. The drug can be taken by people whose age is ten years or more. Pregnant women and people with liver problems can take the medicine after getting a prescription from a doctor. The drug has the ability to reduce bad cholesterol by about 18 percent. It increases good cholesterol by 3 percent and removes total cholesterol by about 3 percent. It prevents the absorption of cholesterol by stopping it to be absorbed by the bloodstream.

Alternative 4 – Nexletol

Nexletol or Bempedoic Acid is a drug that can be used as an alternative to statin. This drug is suitable for those who are unable to take statin due to its side effects. Nexletol has the ability to reduce LDL cholesterol It is also effective in reducing the chances of heart attack by 23 percent. US Food and Drug Administration has approved this drug. It can reduce bad cholesterol by 15 to 25 percent. If it is taken in combination with ezetimibe, bad cholesterol can be reduced by 38 percent.

Alternative 5 – Bile Acid Sequestrants

Bile Acid Sequestrants is a drug which is taken to eliminate bile acids. When cholesterol breaks, it produces bile acid which is easily thrown out of the body through excretion. Bile Acid Sequestrants have the ability to convert cholesterol into bile acids and this leads to a reduction in cholesterol. When the level of LDL cholesterol is reduced in the liver, more LDL receptors are produced by the body which leads in the increase of the removal of the bad cholesterol.

Alternative 6 – Praluent

Praluent is a drug to lower the cholesterol in the body. In the beginning, 75mg of the medicine has to be consumed for two weeks. The dose of the medicine can be increased up to 15mg if it is not effective.

The drug can also be given as 300mg for one time in four weeks. The drug can reduce cholesterol by 61 percent.

Alternative 7 – Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 Fatty Acids can be found in different types of foods like seeds, fish, nuts, green leafy vegetables, beans, and many more. There are three variants of this fatty acid which include −

• icosapent ethyl

• omega-3-acid ethyl esters

• omega-3-carboxylic acids

All these drugs can be consumed by people who have crossed the age of 18 years.

Alternative 8 – Repatha

Repatha should be taken for one time every two weeks. The drug of 420mg can be taken once a month. If a patient is taking 420 mg, it has to be injected once. Patients can also take the drug of 14mg three times by injecting with a difference of five minutes between each injection. Repatha can be taken by people whose age is ten years or more. The drug has the ability to reduce bad cholesterol by 54 percent and 71 percent.

Alternative 9 – Niacin

Niacin is actually vitamin B3 that can be used to reduce bad cholesterol in the body. The drug is prescribed in combination with statin. Niacin does not have the ability to increase good cholesterol. Niacin helps in the reduction of cardiovascular risk for people suffering from diabetes or have high cholesterol.

Alternative 10 – Cholestyramine

Cholestyramine can be taken as 4 grams by adults. The drug can be taken either one or two times a day. The dosage can later be increased to 24 grams. Which can be taken for two to six times in a day. High dose is effective but also has side effects. It starts reducing bad cholesterol after two weeks of starting the consumption

Conclusion

Statin is a drug that is used to reduce bad cholesterol in the body. The drug is very beneficial as it also reduces the risk of heart attack. This drug is not suitable for some people so they can go for alternatives. The drug has many side effects like muscle pain, liver damage, and many more.