Written By: Mansi Kohli | Published : February 21, 2018 10:53 AM IST
Did you know that your medications could actually be raising your cholesterol levels? Various kinds of medication have been known to cause mild to significant increase in cholesterol levels, according to Dr Uma Nambiar, Member Strategic Advisory Board at Easybuyhealth. She elaborates on the same:
These medications cause high cholesterol:
1. Prednisone: A synthetic corticosteroid drug, it is used to treat inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders etc. The continued usage of this drug can raise triglycerides, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, and HDL cholesterol levels.
2. Beta blockers: Used to manage abnormal heart rhythms and protect the heart from consecutive attacks, beta blockers also have been noted to decrease HDL levels and elevate triglyceride levels. Not all beta blockers have this effect except
Atenolol (Tenormin )
Bisoprolol (Zebeta )
Metoprolol (Toprol , Lopressor )
Nadolol (Corgard )
Propranolol
3. Amiodarone: antiarrhythmic drug medication used to treat and prevent disorders relating to irregular heartbeats creates an increase in LDL levels.
4. Estrogen: An excess of the female sex hormone may also increase triglyceride levels.
5. Progestin: Higher levels of progestin have been associated with lower HDL levels. In combination with estrogen, progestin may cancel out the healthy effect estrogen has in raising HDL levels.
6. Anabolic steroid: These drugs raise LDL levels and lower HDL levels, while a higher dose of Anabolic steroid causes an increase in Triglyceride levels.
7. Cyclosporine-Used mostly after organ transplants, it allows the new organ to function normally. It produces an increase in plasma levels of triglycerides, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and in total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratios.
8. Protease inhibitor-Needed to prolong life in patients with HIV infection, it causes an elevation in serum total cholesterols.
9. Diuretic: Required for patients of hypertension, prolonged use of this drug can cause elevation in serum lipid levels. Some of the cholesterol impacting diuretics are:-
Thiazide diuretics (including hydrochlorothiazide, chlorothiazide, metolazone)
Loop diuretics (including furosemide, torsemide, bumetanide)
Numbers for normal and high cholesterol levels: Cholesterol levels less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) are considered desirable for adults. A reading between 200 and 239 mg/dL is considered borderline high and a reading of 240 mg/dL and above is considered high.
Can steroids cause high cholesterol levels? They are known to raise LDL levels and decrease HDL levels. Oral steroid medications have a more visible detrimental effect on cholesterol than injectable medications. DHT based steroids have shown the highest effect of reducing HDL and enhancing LDL.
Can progestin cause high cholesterol levels? Progestin can cause a rapid increase in LDL while decreasing HDL. However, such changes were observed under high doses of Progestin, which are not expected for lower doses. Additionally, high Progestin dosage can also cause a disparity in the LDL-HDL ratio.
Can retinoids cause high cholesterol levels? Retinoid intake is inversely proportional to Serum Lipid level changes. Specific vitamins such as isotretinoin, a well-known therapy for acne vulgaris, increases total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.
Can diuretics cause high cholesterol levels? Specific diuretic drugs such as thiazide and loop diuretics are known to enhance total cholesterol, LDL and blood glucose. Excessive use of this medicine can further cause deposition of excessive calcium in the blood, resulting in hypercholesterolemia.
Can beta blockers increase cholesterol levels? Beta blockers such as propranolol and atenol etc. can have very little increasing effect on triglycerides while decreasing HDL or good cholesterol.
Can fluoxetine (Prozac) increase cholesterol levels? It s a popular antidepressant that has been known to raise cholesterol, be a cause for hypoglycemia and gout. Other medicines such as Venlafaxine are an extreme risk to take for patients with high cholesterol or blood pressure problems, as this medication raises levels of both the physiological functions.
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