Farmacologia Clínica e Biofarmacêutica

Abstrato

Cardiovascular Illness and Hypercholesterolemia: What to Do Before Starting Pharmaceutical Therapy

Fenzhen Chen

Hypercholesterolemia, also known as high cholesterol, is a condition where there are high levels of cholesterol in the blood. This can lead to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can increase the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. One way to manage hypercholesterolemia is through pharmaceutical therapy. There are several classes of medications that can be used to treat hypercholesterolemia. The most commonly prescribed are statins, which work by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reeducates, which is responsible for producing cholesterol in the liver. Statins can lower LDL cholesterol (often referred to as "bad" cholesterol) levels by up to 50%.Other medications that can be used to treat hypercholesterolemia include bile acid sequestrates, which bind to bile acids in the intestine and prevent their reabsorption, thereby reducing the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver. Nicotinic acid (niacin) and fabric acid derivatives can also be used to lower cholesterol levels.