How Ezetimibe (Zetia) May Be Beneficial in Lowering Bad Cholesterol

Ezetimibe, marketed under the name Zetia, is an effective drug to help with lowering bad cholesterol or LDL. Statins are commonly prescribed by doctors to help achieve a better cholesterol number but it is not always enough. Zetia will often be prescribed alongside of a statin to help achieve the best cholesterol number.

There are many statins that have been shown to prevent heart attacks and heart disease. Zetia is not one of them, which is why it should work in addition to a statin. While it can be taken without a statin, many doctors prefer the combination.

A traditional statin works with the liver to reduce cholesterol. Zetia works in the digestive tract instead, which helps to block the absorption of cholesterol from the foods that are eaten. When Zetia is taken in conjunction with a healthy diet, it can help the two primary sources of cholesterol. This means that it will help to control the cholesterol that comes from the foods eaten as well as what is produced naturally from the liver.

When taken with a statin, cholesterol can be reduced by 25 percent in conjunction to just taking a statin. Those who take Zetia without a statin can anticipate an average of an 18 percent reduction in their cholesterol.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 71 million Americans suffer from high LDL or bad cholesterol and only one of every three has it under control. High cholesterol is defined as having LDL that is 200 mg/DL or higher.

Since many people do not eat healthy or eat as healthy as they should, ezetimibe will target the cholesterol that is within the digestive tract based upon what people are eating. When this cholesterol is controlled, it allows for less to be absorbed by the body. This ensures that the LDL is at a healthier level, which is below 200 mg/DL.

It is recommended that everyone get blood tested periodically to check for cholesterol levels. When a statin is used to address the cholesterol being produced by the liver and Zetia is used to address the cholesterol being consumed by what foods are being eaten, both sources are being controlled. When this is combined by eating a healthy diet, it allows a person to drastically reduce the amount of LDL being absorbed by the body, which can in turn reduce heart disease and heart attacks.

Doctors may be able to control LDL through a statin alone. However, Zetia has been proven to reduce the cholesterol by an added 25 percent. This means that when the results are not as dramatic as a doctor would like to see, Zetia can be introduced. The tablets are only 10 mg but can make a significant difference. When cholesterol is controlled in two locations of the body, it can work faster to lower the LDL so that a person is at less risk for heart disease and various other health problems.

Once controlled, a person can look toward raising their HDL (good cholesterol) in order to have the best possible numbers.