a NEWS#8 <3 icaith oon USE High Cholesterol: Consumers Worried About Drug Safety (NAPSA)—If you have high scribe a statin to lower choles- cholesterol, you have lots of company. Nearly 107 million American adults have high cholesterol— over 50 percent. Almosthalf of the terol. Statins are a group of powerful cholesterol-lowering agents and manyof them require periodic liver monitoring. But there are other therapy options besides statins that can lower cholesterol, consumers with high cholesterol also have hypertension and nearly 20 percent have diabetes. These while at the same time reducing the risk of systemic side effects, consumers may be taking one or more different prescriptions for each separate condition. In fact, especially involvingtheliver. Nonsystemic medications are available that, unlike statins, are not absorbed by the body, and many adults over retirement age are taking five medications or more on a daily basis. A recent nationwide survey conducted by Roper Starch, an thus do not travel through the liver or kidneys. Bile Acid Sequestrants (BAS) are a class of nonsys- internationally recognized market research firm, looked at adults with high cholesterol and their concerns about drug safety. Two- thirds of the consumers surveyed were concerned about the possibility that their cholesterol-lowering medication might have a negative interaction with the other drugs they are taking. In addition, the survey found temic cholesterol-lowering medi- In a nationwide survey, two- thirds were concerned about their cholesterol-lowering medication having a negative interaction with the other drugs they weretaking. tors, emphasizing the needfor consumers to communicate with their talk to their doctors about these side effects, but consumers also need to be educated about cholesterol. According to the survey, onethird of adults do not know their total cholesterol. What’s more, more than half of the people surveyed do not believe an elevated LDL,or “bad” cholesterol, is a seri- Not only do consumers need to factors for developing heart disease or having a heart attack. Many doctors frequently pre- that more than 40 percent of adults have not discussed risks or side effects of their cholesterollowering therapies with their docdoctors about the different prescriptions they take in order to avoid the possibility of drugs interacting with each otherin the body. ous health risk. In fact, high LDLcholesterol is one of the major risk cines. The number one prescribed branded BAS, WelChol (colesevelam HCl), is an effective and welltolerated option for consumers with elevated LDL-cholesterol. If physicians and consumers spent more time communicating concernsandincreasing cholesterol education, potential negative side effects of a consumer’s drug regimen may be avoided. Remember, there is a nonsystemic alternative available to the more standard cho- lesterol-lowering therapies that can help avoid systemic drug-drug interactions and alleviate consumerconcerns about drugsafety. For additional important infor- mation about WelChol, visit www.welchol.com or call 1-877-4SANKYO. WelChol (colesevelam HCL) is a prescription drug that works with diet and exercise to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. WelChol is not for everyone, especially those with bowel blockage. Tell your doctor if you have trouble swallowing or severe stomachor intestinal problems. Side effects may include constipation, indigestion and gas. WelChol has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks. WelChol has not been studied in combination with all drugs; tell your doctor or pharmacist ifyou are taking other medications.
