Health News

New Safety Concern for Cholesterol Meds
Some medications used to treat high cholesterol, like Lipitor or Caduet , were linked to some cases of myopathy , a muscle wasting disease.
Take a Liver Test Before Taking Statin Drugs
U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials have announced they will no longer recommend regular liver enzyme testing for patients taking one of several popular cholesterol-lowering drugs such as Lipitor ( atorvastatin ).
FDA Announces Safety Changes In Labeling For Some Cholesterol-lowering Drugs
Important safety changes to the labeling for some widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins are being announced today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These products, when used with diet and exercise, help to lower a person’s “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). The products include: Lipitor ( atorvastatin ), Lescol ( fluvastatin ), Mevacor ( lovastatin ), Altoprev ( lovastatin extended-release), Livalo ( pitavastatin ), Pravachol ( pravastatin ), Crestor ( rosuvastatin ), and Zocor ( simvastatin ). Combination products include: Advicor (...
Cholesterol Drug Proves Safe and Effective
Cholesterol-lowering statins are known to reduce the risk of a cardiovascular-related death. How they fared longer term was uncertain. New findings shows they remain effective at the five-year mark.
Experimental Cholesterol Drug Shows Promise
Eli Lily's experimental drug evacetrapib has been shown to raise good cholesterol levels while also decreasing bad cholesterol. It also successfully lowered triglyceride levels.
Cholesterol Drug Trilipix May Not Lower Heart Risk
U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials have announced that cholesterol-lowering drug fenofibric acid (Trilipix) might not lower a patient's risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Your DNA Could be Problematic for Statins
Statins are widely prescribed to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Though effective, some doctors have become concerned about a rare gene that increases the risk of muscle aches, kidney damage and death in those who also take statins.
Why Statins Don't Always Work
For some patients, statins simply aren't effective at lowering their high cholesterol. Now scientists think they may have figured out why the cholesterol-lowering drugs don't work well in some patients.
New Drug Treats Diabetes and High Cholesterol
The FDA has approved Juvisync, a prescription medication that contains two previously approved medicines in one tablet: Januvia (sitagliptin) for diabetes and Zocor (simvastatin) for high cholesterol.
(UPDATE 12/15) FDA Announces New Safety Recommendations For High-Dose Simvastatin
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today is announcing safety label changes for the cholesterol-lowering medication simvastatin because the highest approved dose--80 milligram (mg)--has been associated with an elevated risk of muscle injury or myopathy , particularly during the first 12 months of use.