Reducing meds.
Have been taking Niaspan-- cholesterol lowered from ca. 250 to ca. 200. PCP added simvastatin and ch dropped to ca. 175. What about dropping the expensive Niaspan?
Hello Pablo,
Typically speaking, your total cholesterol goal is shoud be below <200 mg/dl and LDL <130mg/dl. Those goals are the highest recommened levels that carry little increased risk of heart disease. Note well that if you have other risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, or have established coronary artery disease that your levels will need to be even lower than the above.
Though your levels are at goal now, cholesterol medications do not "fix" the reasons why you have high cholesterol. The drugs lower your numbers which is desirable because lower numbers correlate with lower rates of heart disease. I will note, however, that niaspan does not reduce total or LDL cholesterol very much. Niaspan is typically prescribed to lower triglyceride levels or in some cases raise HDL.
I would NEVER advicate stopping a medication without discussing it with your physician first; you may be on a drug for a reason you might not realize! Most physicians are more than willing to work with you to find drugs that keep you healthy and that you can afford.
To your health,
Neil MD
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