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Are there any safer alternatives to the statin drug Baycol?
Baycol is one of a number of statins, all of which are used to reduce
cholesterol and therefore lower the chance of heart disease. The major
alternatives to the statin drug Baycol are each of the five other FDA
approved statins. However, there are a number of different methods of
cholesterol control that may be utilized. These alternatives are
generally prescribed by a doctor based on any changes in the condition,
as each is focused largely on cholesterol control for a different
reason. Nicotinic acid, for example, is a mostly inexpensive
water-soluble B vitamin available over the counter.
What does Baycol statin do?
It reduces ‘bad’ cholesterol that causes disease, while increasing the
levels of ‘good’ cholesterol, such as HDL-cholesterol. Other
possibilities include fibric acids and bile acid resins. However, a
doctor should be consulted prior to the use of any of these as an
alternative to statins because they are not all aimed at the same
condition.
Are there any drugs closely linked or related to the statin drug
Baycol?
Baycol is one of a family of drugs known as statins. All statins work on
the same principal: The blockage of an enzyme that features heavily in
the synthesis of cholesterol. Their practical purpose is to lower
cholesterol levels to patients in danger of heart disease. With all
working in a similar way, they carry a risk of causing the conditions
made so widespread by Baycol -- statin side effects. However, this is to
a much lesser extent. Baycol had only a two percent market share, but
was responsible for over 45 percent of statin-related illnesses.
Therefore, what made Baycol unique was also what made it so dangerous.
There are five other FDA approved drugs that are classed as statins:
Baycol Statin, and other statin drugs
Lovastatin = Mevacor
Pravastatin = Pravachol
Simvastatin = Zocor
Fluvastatin = Lescol
Atorvastatin = Lipitor
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