Drug Class Basics
These medications lower cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels to reduce cardiovascular risk.
Antihyperlipidemics
This drug class inhibits HMG-CoA reductase and reduces cholesterol production in the liver.
Statins
This is a common side effect of bile acid sequestrants.
Constipation
This medication improves blood flow and may help patients with intermittent claudication walk farther before pain begins.
Cilostazol
Patients taking antihyperlipidemics should continue these non-drug interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk.
Diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and diabetes/blood pressure control
This “bad cholesterol” contributes strongly to plaque formation in the arteries.
LDL
These are two examples of statin medications.
Atorvastatin and rosuvastatin
This common niacin side effect may feel like warmth, redness, or itching of the skin.
Flushing
Cilostazol should not be used in patients with this cardiac condition.
Heart failure
This urine finding should be reported immediately by a patient taking a statin.
Dark or tea-colored urine
This disease process occurs when plaque builds up inside arteries.
Atherosclerosis
This medication decreases cholesterol absorption in the small intestine.
Ezetimibe
This serious statin adverse reaction may cause severe muscle pain, weakness, and dark urine.
Rhabdomyolysis
This blood viscosity reducer improves red blood cell flexibility and helps blood flow more easily through small vessels.
Pentoxifylline
This teaching is important for patients taking bile acid sequestrants because these drugs can affect absorption of other medications.
Separate other medications as instructed
These medications are used to improve circulation to peripheral tissues, especially in patients with peripheral artery disease.
Drugs that improve peripheral blood flow
These medications bind bile acids in the intestine and may decrease absorption of other drugs.
Bile acid sequestrants
These two serious adverse effects should be monitored for with statin therapy.
Muscle injury and liver injury
This is the term for leg pain or cramping with walking that improves with rest.
Intermittent claudication
This daily self-care practice is especially important for patients with poor peripheral blood flow.
Daily foot inspection
This condition causes reduced blood flow to the extremities and may cause leg pain with walking.
Peripheral artery disease or PAD
These medications mainly lower triglycerides and may increase HDL.
Fibrates
These medications can increase the risk of gallstones and muscle toxicity, especially when combined with statins.
Fibrates
These are two serious symptoms a patient taking cilostazol or pentoxifylline should report immediately.
Chest pain and unusual bleeding
This Clinical Judgment step includes determining whether LDL or triglycerides improved, side effects are controlled, walking distance improved, and the patient understands teaching.
Evaluating outcomes