Should I Continue Taking My Cholesterol-Lowering Medication If I Have Chronic Kidney Disease?

Dr. Abraham answers the question: 'Cholesterol Drugs and Kidney Disease?'

By
William T. Abraham, M.D., Director, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Deputy Director, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center
May 2, 2008, 4:30 PM ET
1 min read

— -- Question: I have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Should I continue taking my cholesterol-lowering medication?

Answer: For people with chronic kidney disease, managing other cardiovascular risk factors that can lead to coronary heart disease is important. So continuation of medication such as cholesterol-lowering medications is critical to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease patients.

Now there are some special considerations that we need to think about. In particular, some drugs -- while effective -- may need to be lowered in dose because of the kidney failure, or other drugs might need to be substituted because of improved safety profiles.

Next: Are There Certain Cholesterol-Lowering Medications That Are Safer In Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease?

Previous: Do Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Do Worse After Heart Attack Compared To Patients Who Do Not Have It?