More than 15 million Americans are currently taking statin drugs for cholesterol control, according to IMS data. Shockingly, there are ¹69% of elderly patients reported missing doses due to difficulty swallowing pills. As a result, these elderly patients fail to achieve the desired therapeutic success. Statin has been proven to help lower the chances of cardiovascular diseases and help lower the LDL level (referred to as the bad cholesterol) and triglycerides, while simultaneously increasing HDL levels (referred to as the good cholesterol). It also may help lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other heart complications from patients at risk due to diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Liquid form medication

³Studies show that taking medication in liquid form is more effective than taking pills/capsules. The body absorbs the medicine more quickly because it does not have to break down, allowing more medicinal properties to be absorbed into the system. The body uses 98% in liquid form while the pill/capsule only uses 39-53% of the medication. Also, the drug in liquid form does not need to be digested, so the drug is absorbed in 1-4 minutes while a pill can take 20-30 minutes just to break down before starting to absorb in the system.

Side effects

There are a few common side effects of taking statin medication. Some statin medications can have different side effects than others. The most common side effects are constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and in some cases muscle pain. Consult your doctor if the symptoms are constant to change the medication and you are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit MedWatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Benefits

Here are a few benefits of using medication in liquid form:

• Provide an effective and more powerful alternative for high cholesterol treatment for those who have difficulty swallowing pills.

• Lower the number of older patients that reported missing doses.

• It does not require digestion or breaking down the medication to be absorbed by the system.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a type of fat in the blood. It is produced in the liver and is essential for producing hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. Too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol levels are typically measured through a blood test. The results of the test will provide information about the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides in the blood. ²According to the U.S National Library of Medicine, it is recommended that LDL cholesterol levels be below 100 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL) and that HDL cholesterol levels be above 40 mg/dL for men, and 50 mg/ dL for women in the age 20 or older. Triglyceride levels should be below 150 mg/dL.

Dysphagia

Dysphagia is a disorder of the swallowing mechanism which can affect the passage of food or liquid from the mouth to the stomach. Symptoms of dysphagia can include difficulty swallowing, pain when swallowing, the feeling of food getting stuck in the throat, excessive salivation, coughing while eating or drinking, and bringing food back up. Treatment for dysphagia may include lifestyle changes, medications, or specific exercises, as well as speech and language therapy. In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

After reading this article, you should consider talking to your doctor to change your medication. Be sure to visit our website so you can learn more about our first-ever liquid-form simvastatin, FloLipid!

Citations

¹Strachan I, Greener M. Medication-related swallowing difficulties may be more common than we realize. Pharmacy in Practice. 2005;15(9):411-414.

² “Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://medlineplus.gov/cholesterollevelswhatyouneedtoknow.html.

³Liquids vs pills. Medicare Europe. (n.d.). Retrieved August 1, 2022, from http:/medicare-europe.co.uk/science-clinical-data/liquids-vs-pills.html

IMS data.