Hypertension Made Simple and Nutrients Patients Should Follow Levels of During Treatment

By Don Ford, M.D.
Your doctor may use the technical term hypertension, but it is more commonly called high blood pressure and at least 65 million American adults have high blood pressure. That translates into almost one-third of all American adults, and two thirds of all Americans over the age of 65. Because high blood pressure often has no warning signs or symptoms, it is often called “the silent killer”. High blood pressure is a very dangerous condition. If you don’t treat high blood pressure it can kill you and unfortunately, one-third of the people that have high blood pressure don’t even know it. One important thing to know about high blood pressure is that you can’t cure it. You can only treat high blood pressure with lifestyle changes and medication, and you will need to treat it for the rest of your life.
What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the amount of force your blood is putting on to the walls of your arteries as it is moved through your body by your heart. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry the oxygen rich blood away from your heart and to all the muscles, organs and tissues in your body.Without this oxygen rich blood, your muscles, organs and tissues would die and eventually, so would you. Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day, and changes heartbeat to heartbeat.
How is blood pressure measured? The test is quick and painless. The doctor or nurse puts a cuff around your upper arm (the technical term for the devices is a sphygmomanometer; pronounced sfig’-mo-ma-nom-e-ter). This device is used to get an actual measurement of the pressure inside your arteries. Your blood pressure measurement is made up of two numbers, one above or before the other. The top or first number which is technically called systolic blood pressure is the pressure in your arteries while your heart contracts during a heart beat. The bottom number is technically called your diastolic blood pressure and it is the pressure in your arteries as your heart relaxes between heart beats.
If you have ever felt your pulse in your wrist or your neck you have felt the differences between your systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The pulse you are feeling is the heart beating, which creates your systolic blood pressure. Between pulses, your heart is relaxing and the measurement of pressure during that time is your diastolic blood pressure.
These two numbers make up what is called your blood pressure reading. For example a blood pressure measurement of 120/80mmHg (that is, millimeters of mercury) means the pressure measured during a heart beat is 120, and measured in between heart beats at 80. This measurement would be expressed verbally as “120 over 80”. Both numbers in the test are important.
Why is high blood pressure dangerous? High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes your heart work too hard, and puts undue stress on your arteries. Having high blood pressure increases your chance of having a heart attack or stroke, (the 1st and 3rd leading causes of death). In fact, every 20mmHg increase in your systolic blood pressure or 10mmHg increase in your diastolic blood pressure DOUBLES your risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. It also contributes to your chance of developing other conditions such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease and even blindness. High blood pressure is especially dangerous because it often has no warning signs or symptoms. Regardless of age, race, or gender anyone can develop high blood pressure and once it develops, it usually lasts a lifetime. So it is especially important to continue treatment of high blood pressure for a lifetime.
What is high blood pressure? By viewing the table below, you can see that a reading of 140/90 is considered high. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 and 139/89 you are considered prehypertensive. That means you don’t have high blood pressure now, but you are probably going to develop it in the future.You can take steps now by adopting a healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk of developing it in the future.
Blood Pressure Level (mmHg)
Category Systolic Diastolic
Normal Less than 120 and Less than 80
Pre-hypertension 120-139 or 80-89
High Blood Pressure
Stage 1 Hypertension 140–159 or 90–99
Stage 2 Hypertension > or = to 160 or > or = to 100
At the age of 55, if you do not have high blood pressure, there is still a 90% chance you will develop it in the future. As you can see, high blood pressure is a disease that most people will develop over their lifetime. Your doctor will make a diagnosis of high blood pressure if the results of your test are high on two separate occasions.
There are two numbers! Which one is the most important? Both numbers are important. But once you are over the age of 50, the top number or systolic blood pressure becomes the more accurate reading for high blood pressure. It is high if it is 140 or above. Diastolic blood pressure does not need to be high for you to have high blood pressure.
When only the top number or systolic blood pressure is high, your doctor calls it “isolated systolic hypertension” or ISH. This is the most common form of high blood pressure in older Americans. You may have ISH and feel fine. As with other kinds of high blood pressure, ISH often has no symptoms or warning signs. Also like any form of high blood pressure ISH is dangerous if left untreated. Like all types of high blood pressure, ISH can never be cured once it has developed, it can only be controlled.
Many studies have proven that controlling high systolic blood pressure can reduce deaths, illness, and improve quality of life; most Americans do not have their systolic blood pressure under control.
Diastolic blood pressure or the bottom number continues to be an important measure of blood pressure, especially in younger people. The higher the diastolic number, the greater the risk of heart attack, strokes, and kidney failure. As people get older, the diastolic blood pressure reading tends to get lower as the systolic number tends to get higher.Your doctor will use both number when determining your blood pressure category and the appropriate prevention and treatment.
What causes high blood pressure? The causes of high blood pressure vary. It may include narrowing or hardening of the arteries, a greater than normal blood volume, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it should. Any of these things will increase the pressure against the artery wall. High blood pressure could be caused by another medical condition like gestational hypertension (high blood pressure during pregnancy). Or it may even be limited to a specific part of your body like pulmonary hypertension, but those conditions are rare. By far, the most common cause of hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a genetic predisposition which is called “essential hypertension”.
How is high blood pressure treated? Along with there being a lot of different causes of high blood pressure, there are also a lot of different treatment options for high blood pressure.Your minimum treatment goal is to have your blood pressure below 140/90 and even lower for people with diabetes, kidney disease or other conditions. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is an important factor, however most patients will require medication to control high blood pressure. Many patients need two, three or even four different types of prescription medications at once to control their high blood pressure. Because high blood pressure can be deadly, it is important that patients get and keep blood pressure under control, and monitor it at home as well as with your doctor.
Hypertension, more commonly called high blood pressure, is often referred as "the silent killer" because it often shows no signs or symptoms. In the United States alone, at least65 million American adults have high blood pressure.
There are many different types of blood pressure lowering medications that your doctor may prescribe, however these prescriptions can cause certain nutritional deficiencies that may increase your risk for chronic degenerative diseases. NutraMD High Blood Pressure Essential Nutrients® supplement was designed to work with your blood pressure lowering medications by replacing lost nutrients, reducing the risk of dangerous side effects, and promote better health.
Types of High Blood Pressure MedicationsThe main categories of blood pressure lowering medications that deplete your nutrients are: Diuretics (loop, potassium sparing, and thiazide), ACE inhibitorsBeta blockersCentral alpha agonists.
Why do I need blood pressure medication?The main reason for your doctor to prescribe blood pressure medicines is because there is clear evidence that any blood pressure reading greater than 115/75 has an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke, and a greater risk of sudden death. This risk increases dramatically with a blood pressure reading above 140/90. The main problem with blood pressure medications as a whole is that they have been found to cause depletion of the following nutrients: Calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, sodium, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), folate, vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamin C. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, and CoQ10 deficiencies are directly linked to high blood pressure. Therefore reducing their amounts in the body can make it more difficult for your doctor to normalize your blood pressure.
Why are these nutrients important?* Calcium deficiency is related to osteoporosis, and arthritis. * Magnesium is responsible for more than 300 chemical reactions in the body. * Vitamin A deficiency is related to high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, muscle and joint pain, osteoporosis, heart arrhythmias, fatigue, and many more. * Potassium deficiency is related to heart arrhythmias, and mental disturbances. * Zinc is responsible for more than 200 chemical reactions in the body. Deficiency of zinc is related to heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, psoriasis, gout, and more. * CoQ10 deficiency has been linked to the following diseases and symptoms: Congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, rhabdomyolysis (muscle break down), muscle and joint pain, angina (pains in the chest), and fatigue. * Folate deficiency is directly related to heart disease, cancer, neural tube defects, anemia, and more. * Vitamin B1 deficiency is related to congestive heart failure, depression, muscle pain, and fatigue. * Vitamin B6 deficiency is linked with heart disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, PMS, depression, and fatigue. * Vitamin C deficiency is related to heart disease, high cholesterol, muscle pain, and osteoporosis.
Many of these side nutritional side effects are well known, which is why your doctor may monitor your serum electrolytes (calcium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride) while you are on some of these medications, however, serum electrolyte levels are not good markers for tissue levels of these nutrients and thus do not reliably detect nutritional deficiencies.
Therefore to achieve maximum benefit from the blood pressure medication and minimize potential side effects of nutrient deficiencies, you should compliment your prescription medication by taking NutraMD High Blood Pressure Essential Nutrients® supplement. By doing this you will balance the risk/benefit ratio further in your favor.
In summary, blood pressure lowering medications prescribed by your doctor are necessary to treat your condition, however, you should also be aware that the long term potential nutritional side effects can be just as big a risk factor for your condition and for other conditions as well. Put the odds in your favor and maintain your health with NutraMD High Blood Pressure Essential Nutrients® supplement.
High Blood Pressure Essential Nutrients® supplement are designed for patients taking blood pressure agents such as Lasix (furosemide)or hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) which can deplete levels of Vitamins B1, B6, C, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Zinc, Sodium and Coenzyme Q10. Products like Toprol, Coreg, Inderal, Corgard, Atenolol, Catapres or Aldomet can also deplete levels of Coenzyme Q10, and products that contain Apresoline that can deplete levels of Vitamin B6 as well as Coenzyme Q10.
http://www.essential-nutrients.net/
C. Donald Ford, MD, Diplomate of the American Board Internal Medicine.Dr. Ford has practiced general internal medicine for the past 22 years. He is a native Texan and trained at Baylor University, the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Scott and White in Temple. He is a Clinical Assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. In addition to general Internal Medicine, his practice includes travel medicine, vascular disease prevention, and Integrative Medicine with nutrients. He has been interested in the body’s ability to heal itself since medical school, and has used nutrients throughout his career to help patients use less prescription medication, or avoid it altogether.While he sees the tremendous value prescription medications can provide, he is also aware of the value and place for nutrients.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Ford,_M.D.

Heartburn and Ulcer Medicine Can be Causing Vitamin B-12 Deficiency!

By Don Ford, M.D.
There are a lot of different medications that work by reducing the amount of acid in your stomach. Some are called Histamine 2 (H2) blockers and are now available over the counter. This class includes popular brands like Zantac (Ranitidine), or Axid (Nizatidine). These products work by blocking the H2 receptor-site and consequently reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces. There is also a more powerful class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors. One of these products, Prilosec OTC is available over the counter while the rest are available by prescription only. These products include Nexium (Esomeprazole), Prilosec (Omeprazole), Aciphex (Rabeprazole), Prevacid (Lansoprazole), Protonix (Pantoprazole). Proton pump inhibitors work exactly as the name implies,they inhibit the proton pumps in the stomach from producing acid. These products are very effective at lower the level of acid in the stomach and reducing symptoms of GERD, reflux, and stomach ulcers. These are relatively safe products that don’t require any additional blood monitoring and have very few side effects in most people.
But one of the long term effects of reducing the level of acid in your stomach on a continual basis is your body isn’t able to absorb the amount of vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin) that is necessary, and your body’s supplies of this essential nutrient becomes depleted. Since B-12 deficiency is already estimated to be anywhere from 5-20% of the population the addition of a medication that actually reduces your body to absorb Vitamin B-12 can have significant effects on a population already at risk. Other things that put patients at risk of Vitamin B-12 deficiency is elderly people, alcoholics, patients with dementia, patients that have had a small bowel resection as well as AIDS patients.
One marker that is often used by doctors to determine vitamin B-12 deficiency is to the your blood homocysteine levels.
If you are taking one of these over the counter or prescriptions products, it is important that you be aware of this potential nutritional side effect that could impact your health. One way to avoid the potential deficiency is to be sure to take a supplement.
To learn more about other nutritional side effects of ulcer and heartburn medication please see: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/acidreflux.htm
To learn more about what symptoms you may experience if your Vitamin B-12 levels were low see: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/vitamin_B12.htm
For more information about how many different medications can have a negative impact on your nutritional status and what you can do about it please visit us at: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/
Dr. Ford has practiced general internal medicine for the past 22 years. He is a native Texan and trained at Baylor University, the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Scott and White in Temple. He is a Clinical Assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. In addition to general Internal Medicine, his practice includes travel medicine, vascular disease prevention, and Integrative Medicine with nutrients.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Ford,_M.D.

Does Your Daily Aspirin Put You At Risk?

By Don Ford, M.D.
If you are over 30, you probably have taken aspirin more times in your life than you could ever recall! It has been a basic medicine in our lives since its inception. Who can’t recall those little pills that dissolved on your tongue and leave that distinctive baby aspirin taste in your mouth? Over the years, aspirin has been used for everything from bringing fever down in a baby to helping grandma manage the aches and pains of aging joints. Now, even with so many other alternatives, aspirin remains one of the most widely used products in the world. In fact, the use of aspirin is making a comeback due primarily to research that has demonstrated aspirin is an effective blood thinner, and can help reduce your risk of a heart attack, or even help save your life if taken during a heart attack.
But there are risks to taking aspirin. The one everyone knows about, is the risk of stomach problems. This GI risk actually applies to all of the NSAIDS such as aspirin. Aspirin leads to irritation of the lining of your gastrointestinal tract and may result in pain and/or bleeding. Due to the marketing efforts of competitors of aspirin, primarily acetaminophen, better known as Tylenol, the GI side effects are actually one of the most well known among consumers and doctors alike.
But one of the lesser known side effects of aspirin is how it depletes your body of some of its essential nutrients. Over time, as you use aspirin daily, as many people do now for not only their aches and pains but for their cardiovascular health, the risk that aspirin is depleting your body’s nutrients increases.
Although not well known among physicians or the general public, aspirin is just one of many medications, both over the counter and prescription that can end up depleting your body of its vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. Even the stomach protecting medicines like Prilosec or Prevacid that many people take along with their aspirin have well documented nutrient depleting side effects.
While stopping your medications is not a smart option, taking a supplement to be sure you maintain your optimal nutritional status is. You would want to be sure you were taking vitamin and mineral supplements for each of the important nutrients aspirin can deplete. That includes folate, potassium, and vitamin C. You would also want to be sure you are getting the nutrients in a form that is readily bioavailable and at high enough doses to counter the nutrient depleting side effects of your aspirin.
If you would like to learn more about aspirin and its nutritional side effects or to learn more about a product that combines all of these essential nutrients into just one pill and at a significant savings over finding each product individually please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/arthritisessentialnutrients.htm
To learn more about what side effects to look for when your nutrients are being depleted please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/vitamins_minerals.htm
To learn more about all different types of medications both prescription and over the counter that can rob your body of its essential vitamins and minerals please visit us at: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/
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Do You Know Your Cholesterol Medication May Be Depleting Your Body of Essential Nutrients?

By Don Ford, M.D.
Epidemiological studies such as The Framingham Heart Study and landmark clinical trials using cholesterol medications have demonstrated that patients have fewer serious cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes when their LDL cholesterol is low. As a result of these findings, over the last 15 years the national guidelines for treating patients with heart disease, diabetes or even patients with multiple risk factors such as smoking history, diabetes, age, or hypertension have become more stringent. Guidelines now point to the fact that lower LDL is better, yet LDL is still only one part of lowering patients overall cardiovascular risks.
Because of these more stringent national guidelines, and increased number of patients that are being put on drugs to lower their LDL cholesterol, along with diet and exercise, to lower their risk of having a heart attack or stroke. In most cases, patients will be expected to remain on a medication for the rest of their life in order to help control this chronic condition called hyperlipidemia. It is so important to be aware of some of the potential nutritional side effects that many of these medications may have. The most effective drugs at lowering cholesterol belong to a class of drugs called statins. This class includes drugs such as Zocor (Simvastatin), Lipitor (Atorvastatin), Vytorin (Simvastatin + Ezetimibe), Pravachol (Pravastatin) Crestor (Rosuvastatin), Mevacor (Lovastatin), or Lescol (Fluvastatin),. These drugs have shown to be very effective at lowering cholesterol and they tend to have relatively few side effects in most people, although you should be sure to do the recommended blood tests for liver monitoring.
One important thing to know about this class of drugs is that as you continue to take this type of medication over time, it tends to deplete important nutrients your body needs, like Coenzyme Q-10 and possibly vitamin D. Coenzyme Q-10 is a very important compound that your body needs and if your medication is reducing your body’s levels of Coenzyme Q-10 you may experience side effects that are caused indirectly by having low levels of Coenzyme Q-10. Your physician can monitor these levels, or you can simple take a daily supplement that will be prevent the levels of these important nutrients from getting too low.
To learn more about the side effects you may experience due to low levels nutrients please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/vitamins_minerals.htm
To learn more about other cholesterol medications and the nutrient depleting side effects please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/high-cholesterol.htm
To learn more about any of the over the counter or prescription medications and how they can deplete your body of vitamins and minerals please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/
Dr. Ford has practiced general internal medicine for the past 22 years. He is a native Texan and trained at Baylor University, the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Scott and White in Temple. He is a Clinical Assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. In addition to general Internal Medicine, his practice includes travel medicine, vascular disease prevention, and Integrative Medicine with nutrients.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Ford,_M.D.

Coenzyme Q10, Muscle Pain and Statins, Are They Related?

By Don Ford, M.D.
Millions of Americans are taking medicine to lower their blood levels of cholesterol. Every day you see news stories, magazine articles, and television advertising that speak of the dangers of high LDL (bad) cholesterol and the importance of getting these levels as low as possible. In fact, the world’s best selling medicine is the cholesterol lowering medication, Lipitor. Other drugs in the same class of “statins” designed to lower cholesterol include Zocor, Vytorin, Crestor, Pravachol, Lescol and Mevacor, the latter also available as the generic, lovastatin.
One of the side effects many people have heard about is the muscles aches and weakness that sometimes occur with the “statin” class of drugs. If you experience muscle aches or weakness that are not a result of overuse, you should notify your doctor immediately so he or she can rule out more a serious, but very rare condition such as rhabdomyolysis. This condition causes the muscles to leak so much protein that it damages the kidneys leading to kidney failure. The vast majority of the patients with muscle aches and weakness in my practice do not have any indications of rhabdomyolysis. In fact, it is so rare that I have never personally seen a case caused by statin drugs in 25 years as a doctor. When a patient discontinues their “statin”, the muscle aches quickly disappear.
There is ample evidence to suggest that many of the muscle related side effects of the statin class could be a result of a statin-induced deficiency in Coenzyme Q10. When you inhibit the production of cholesterol, you also inhibit the production of Coenzyme Q 10. Because CoQ-10 is found in every cell in your body, including muscles like your heart, it is a critical ingredient in the production of energy in your cells. It is what is called an “essential nutrient”. If you have a deficiency of CoQ-10, you are threatening your overall health, and more specifically, your cardiovascular health.
Supplements of Coenzyme Q10 have been shown to reduce or prevent many of the muscle related side effects of the statins or other drugs. CoQ-10 supplements have also shown to benefit one’s health when combined with many different treatment regimens for conditions like congestive heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, gum disease, and even before surgery to improve healing and recovery.
Your doctor can run blood tests for your levels of CoQ-10, such as those offered by Spectracell Laboratories. Alternatively, due to the benefits shown in many different studies, you can find a good quality CoQ-10 supplement to add to your treatment regimen for hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes. Since statins and other drugs used to lower cholesterol may have other potential nutritional side effects, consider a supplement that was specifically designed to replace those nutrients that are impacted by specific medications.
http://www.essential-nutrients.net/
To learn more about the nutrients that are depleted by your cholesterol medication please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/high-cholesterol.htm
To learn more about Coenzyme Q10 and its importance to your boody: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/coenzyme_Q10.htm
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Cholesterol- Getting Down to the Basics

By Don Ford, M.D.
Blood cholesterol levels have been proven to be a major, modifiable risk factor for the development of heart disease. A risk factor is a condition that increases your chance of getting a disease. The fact that high cholesterol is a modifiable risk factor is important. Unlike your gender or your age, the cholesterol level in your blood is something you have the ability to change. High cholesterol levels can be treated with lifestyle modifications, supplements and/or prescription medication. Treatment to change blood cholesterol levels have been shown to lower your risk of getting heart disease or having a heart attack or stroke.
Cholesterol builds up in the walls of your arteries. Over time, this buildup causes "hardening of the arteries" so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down or blocked. You can imagine what that looks like if you think about the pipes under your kitchen sink. As they get clogged with food, grease and hair over time, the drainage of water slows and eventually stops completely. Since blood travels through these arteries, or pipes, to carry oxygen to your muscles, organs and tissues including your heart, a blockage could reduce enough blood and oxygen to your heart that you may suffer chest pain, called angina. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack. If this blockage occurs in your brain, the result is a stroke.
High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms; so there are a lot of people that are completely unaware that their cholesterol level is too high. It is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or stroke. Even if you have already had a heart attack or stroke, lower cholesterol will reduce your chance of having second one. Cholesterol lowering is important for everyone--younger, middle age, and older adults; women and men; and people with or without heart disease.
There are different kinds of cholesterol in your blood that can measured through a simple blood test preformed at your doctor’s office. This blood test must be preformed fasting, which means you can not eat or drink anything but water or black coffee for 8-12 hours before your blood test for them to be accurate.
What is LDL?
LDL (bad) cholesterol is the main source of buildup and blockage in the arteries. The majority of LDL is created by your body in your liver. A smaller percentage of it is absorbed through your diet. An easy way for patients to remember LDL is the “bad cholesterol” is to think the L in LDL stands for Lousy cholesterol, or the one you want to Lower.With this form of cholesterol, studies have shown the lower the better. Babies are born with an LDL of 30-40, so it is hard to lower the LDL too much. Since physicians and various guidelines have different goals for different patients, ask your doctor what your personal goal is for LDL.
What is HDL?
HDL (good) cholesterol helps keep bad cholesterol from building up in the arteries. An easy way for patients to remember this is the good cholesterol is the H in HDL stands for Healthy cholesterol or the one you want to be Higher. Studies show that with this form of cholesterol, the higher the better. If your HDL is below 40, it becomes an additional risk factor for heart disease. If your HDL is above 60, it actually allows you to subtract one of your other risk factors.
What Is Triglicerides?
Triglycerides are another form of fat in your blood which is often high in patients with diabetes, but can be high in anyone. Some patients may only have high triglycerides while all other cholesterol values remain normal. If you have both high triglycerides and high cholesterol, the condition is called “mixed dyslipidemia”.
What Does Total Cholesterol To HDL Ratio Mean?
Another number that clinical studies have shown to be important in determining your risk of heart disease is the ratio of Total Cholesterol to HDL Cholesterol. In general, it should be less than 4.0. Ask your doctor what your value is, and what your specific goal should be. Again this is a number where the lower it is, the better.
The level of your LDL or “bad cholesterol ” along with the number of other risk factors that you may have for developing heart disease will help your doctor decide not only your individual cholesterol goals, but if necessary what your individual treatment will include.Other risk factors for heart disease include age, gender (males), cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, HDL levels below 40, and a family history of early heart disease. Even though physical activity (sedentary lifestyle) and obesity are not included on this list, these are conditions that need to be corrected as well.
There are several treatment options for patients depending on individual test results and goals. All treatments should include a diet designed to lower cholesterol intake and an exercise plan. Many treatment plans will include dietary supplements and/or prescription medication(s). There are a variety of prescription medications that can target your specific treatment needs, including but not limited to lowering the amount of LDL created by the liver, lowering the amount of LDL that is absorbed from your intestines, increasing levels of HDL or lowering levels of triglycerides.Your doctor may put you on one, or a variety of medications to meet your individual treatment goals.
Blood cholesterol levels have been proven to be a major, modifiable risk factor for the development of heart disease. A risk factor is a condition that increases your chance of getting a disease. A modifiable risk factor is something you have the ability to change. High cholesterol levels can be treated with lifestyle modifications, supplement and/or prescription medication. Treatment to change blood cholesterol levels have been shown to lower your risk of getting heart disease or having a heart attack or stroke.
There are many different types of cholesterol lowering medications that your doctor may prescribe, however these prescriptions can cause certain nutritional deficiencies that may increase your risk for side effects or diminish the risk reduction you would otherwise get from the cholesterol lowering medications. NutraMD Cholesterol Essential Nutrients® supplement was designed to work with your cholesterol lowering medications by replacing lost nutrients reducing the risk of dangerous side effects, and promote better health.
Medications for treatment of High Cholesterol:
The three main classes include statins, fibrates, and bile acid sequestrants.
Statins include the following medications:Lipitor (atorvastatin)Zocor (simvastatin)Pravachol (pravastatin).Mevacor (lovastatin)Crestor (rosuvastatin)Advicor (lovastatin + niacin).Caduet (atorvastatin + amlodipine).
The main function of statins is to reduce an individual¡¦s risk for cardiovascular disease (i.e., heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, and plaque development in arteries) by reducing the total and LDL cholesterol levels as well as by reducing certain plaque promoting factors and increasing artery dilating factors.Your doctor may prescribe a statin if you have high cholesterol or have had heart attack or stroke in the past. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure or diabetes but do not have high cholesterol, your doctor may still prescribe a statin to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. Statins help lower cholesterol by blocking it's direct synthesis throughout the body but primarily in the liver, however the action of the medication also blocks the synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and has a potential negative effect on the synthesis of vitamin D.
* CoQ10 deficiency has been linked to the following diseases and symptoms:
Congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, rhabdomyolysis (muscle break down), muscle and joint pain, and fatigue.
Therefore to achieve maximum benefit from the statin medication and minimize potential side effects of nutrient deficiencies, you should compliment your prescription medication by taking NutraMD Cholesterol Essential Nutrients® supplement. By doing this you will balance the risk/benefit ratio further in your favor.
Fibrates include the following medications:
Tricor, Antara, and Lofibra (fenofibrates)Lopid (gemfibrozil).
The main functions of fibrates are to lower triglycerides and raise HDL (good cholesterol). These medicines also have a mild lowering effect on LDL (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol. Your doctor may prescribe fibrates in combination with a statin or bile acid sequestrants. The down side of fibrates is there ability to increase muscle pain and myalgia (including rhabdomyolysis).11-15 These medications also have the ability to raise homocysteine levels.11-15 Homocysteine is a chemical (amino acid metabolite) which when elevated is a risk factor for heart disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and osteoporosis. The only substances known to lower homocysteine levels are the B-vitamins (folate, riboflavin, cobalamin, and pyridoxine).Therefore to reduce the potential risks while taking fibrates, you should also be taking NutraMD Cholesterol Essential Nutrients® supplement.
Bile Acid Sequestrants include the following medications:
Questran or Questran Light (cholestyramine)Welchol (colesevelam HCl).
The main functions of bile acid sequestrants are to lower cholesterol by binding to it in the intestine and preventing its absorption thus allowing its excretion in the feces. Your doctor may prescribe this type of medicine in combination with fibrates and statins. Unfortunately, bile acid sequestrants will also bind to vitamins A, D, E, and K as well as essential fats in the intestine preventing their absorption into the blood stream thus leading to their deficiencies. A few of the problems which arise from deficiencies of vitamins A, D, E, K, and essential fatty acids include the following: Heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, high triglycerides, cancer, thyroid disease, autoimmune disease, bone disease, arthritis, joint pain, muscle pain, cataracts, skin lesions, allergies, and many other.Therefore, to reduce potential side effects of nutrient deficiencies you should take NutraMD Cholesterol Essential Nutrients® supplement as long as you are on bile acid sequestrants.
In summary, cholesterol-lowering medications prescribed by your doctor are necessary to treat your condition; however, you should also be aware that the long term potential nutritional side effects can be just as big a risk factor for your condition as well as other conditions. Put the odds in your favor and maintain your health with NutraMD Cholesterol Essential Nutrients® supplement.
http://www.essential-nutrients.net/
C. Donald Ford, MD, Diplomate of the American Board Internal Medicine.Dr. Ford has practiced general internal medicine for the past 22 years. He is a native Texan and trained at Baylor University, the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Scott and White in Temple. He is a Clinical Assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. In addition to general Internal Medicine, his practice includes travel medicine, vascular disease prevention, and Integrative Medicine with nutrients. He has been interested in the body’s ability to heal itself since medical school, and has used nutrients throughout his career to help patients use less prescription medication, or avoid it altogether.While he sees the tremendous value prescription medications can provide, he is also aware of the value and place for nutrients.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Ford,_M.D.