Are There Certain Cholesterol Medications That Are Safer In Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease?

Dr. Abraham answers the question: 'Safer Cholesterol Drugs For Kidneys?'

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: Are there certain cholesterol-lowering medications that are safer in patients with chronic kidney disease?

Answer: There are certain cholesterol-lowering medications that are safer in patients with chronic kidney disease. The good news is that all of the drugs retain their effectiveness, but some drugs are safer than others -- in particular because some of these drugs are cleared by the kidneys while others are not.

So certain the statins are preferred in patients with chronic kidney disease and even some of the older cholesterol-lowering medications such as niacin need to be adjusted in their dosage for use in chronic kidney disease patients.

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