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Rebecca’s Program to Lower Cholesterol in Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) At t...

Rebecca’s Program to Lower Cholesterol in Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH)

At the lipid clinic, Susan told Rebecca how to maintain a diet with less beef and chicken, more fish with omega-3 oils, low-fat dairy products, no egg yolks, and no coconut or palm oils. Rebecca maintained her new diet containing lower quantities of fats and increased quantities of fiber for the next year. She also increased her exercise using a treadmill and cycling and lost 35 lb. When Rebecca returned to the lipid clinic to check her progress with Susan, a new set of blood tests indicated that her total cholesterol had dropped from 420 to 390 mg/dL and her LDL had dropped from 275 to 255 mg/dL.

Because Rebecca’s changes in diet and exercise did not sufficiently lower her cholesterol level, Susan prescribed a medication to help lower blood cholesterol levels. The most common medications used for treating high LDL-cholesterol are the statins lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), simvastatin (Zocor), atorvastatin (Lipitor), and rosuvastatin (Crestor). For some FH patients, statin therapy may be combined with fibrates such as gemfibrozil or fenofibrate that reduce the synthesis of enzymes that break down fats in the blood.

Susan prescribed pravastatin (Pravachol), 80. mg once a day, which was effective. Later, Susan added fenofibrate (TriCor), one 145-mg tablet, each day to the Pravachol. Rebecca understands that her medications and diet and exercise plan is a lifelong process and its impact is to help her live a healthier, longer life.