Cholesterol Management
Cholesterol-lowering medicines work in different ways to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglycerides, and the choice between them depends on a person’s lipid results and overall cardiovascular risk.
Ezetimibe Tablets
10mg
Indicated to address elevated blood cholesterol to relieve arterial plaque risk and support cardiovascular wellness.
Key points
- NICE guidance covers cardiovascular risk assessment alongside statins and other lipid-lowering treatments.
- NHS notes that statins work by reducing the amount of cholesterol made in the liver.
- A lipid profile blood test is used to check how well treatment is working.
Statins: the main cholesterol-lowering medicines
Lipitor contains atorvastatin, Crestor contains rosuvastatin, Zocor contains simvastatin, Pravachol contains pravastatin and Livalo contains pitavastatin; NHS explains how statins work in Statins. Roszet combines rosuvastatin with ezetimibe in a single tablet, adding a second lipid-lowering mechanism.
Non-statin alternatives
Ezetimibe Tablets and Nexletol, containing bempedoic acid, are used where cholesterol needs a different or additional mechanism from a statin. Tricor and Lopid contain the fibrates fenofibrate and gemfibrozil, used mainly where triglycerides are raised. Questran comes as a sachet rather than a tablet and contains colestyramine, a bile-acid sequestrant. NICE sets out where these fit alongside statins in Recommendations | Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification.
Urso and Actigall treat a liver condition, not raised cholesterol
Urso and Actigall both contain ursodeoxycholic acid, used for primary biliary cholangitis and for dissolving gallstones. Despite the similar-sounding chemistry, neither is used to lower blood cholesterol.