People's Pharmacy

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New Cholesterol Guidelines Pose Interaction Dangers

Posting Date: 08/02/2004

Side effects such as muscle aches and pains could be more common on grapefruit-boosted statins, however. This might be especially hazardous with the higher doses of drugs like Lipitor and Zocor now being recommended to get LDL cholesterol below 70.

For doctors and patients who don?t want to worry about grapefruit interactions, beneficial or harmful, some cholesterol-lowering medications may be a better choice than others. Grapefruit should not affect Crestor, Lescol or Pravachol.

To learn more about how grapefruit interacts with statins, blood pressure medicines, sleeping pills, heart drugs and anti-seizure medications, we offer readers of this column our Guides to Grapefruit Interactions and Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs. Anyone who would like copies, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope:

Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. JL-97, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.

Other interactions may also be troublesome with high doses of certain statins.

Adding cholesterol-lowering drugs like niacin or gemfibrozil to achieve low LDL goals may increase the risk of muscle breakdown. Some antibiotics and antifungal medications can also pose risks. To maximize the benefits of statins, patients need to monitor their response closely and stay in touch with their doctors.

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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.org.

2004 King Features Syndicate, Inc.