Which anti-lipid therapy to choose. Here is a general guideline on treating lipid abnormalities - combinations :

Which anti-lipid therapy to choose. Here is a general guideline on treating lipid abnormalities - combinations :

LDL high - Statin
LDL high + HDL low - statin
TG moderately high + LDL high - Statin
TG moderately high + HDL low - Niacin
TG very high - Fibrates
TG very high + HDL low - Fibrates
TG very high + LDL high - Statin + Fibrates Remember when LDL is high, STATIN always gets first preference and statin can also modestly increase HDL level. If you do not achieve the LDL or HDL goals, you can always combine other agents.
If low HDL is the only risk factor; NIACIN gets the preference ( It can increase HDL by 35% max - no other drug can increase more than 20%). Side effects of Niacin are severe flushing and headaches. Start low dose and slowly tit-rate up based on tolerance