Livalo (pitavastatin) is not for everyone. After all, statins are infamous for being difficult to tolerate. It is therefore important to speak with a medical provider regarding potential Livalo alternatives.
Livalo Alternatives
Your medical provider may prescribe other statins instead of Livalo to treat your high cholesterol levels. They may also recommend cholesterol absorption inhibitors, PCSK9 inhibitors, or bile acid-binding resins as pitavastatin alternatives.
Statins
Most statins work in the same way as Livalo. Yet there may be different chemicals in these drugs that are easier for the body to tolerate. Other statin options include:
- Lipitor (atorvastatin)
- Crestor (rosuvastatin)
- Zocor (simvastatin)
- Lescol (fluvastatin)
- Pravachol (pravastatin)
- Altoprev (lovastatin)
If your body has lower levels of bad cholesterol due to the statin Livalo yet you have experienced certain side effects, the medical provider may recommend a different statin that may not give you the same adverse reactions.
Bile Acid Sequestrants
Sequestrants (bile acid-binding resins) are drugs that block the bloodstream from absorbing cholesterol by binding bile to the intestines. Notably, these medications are the oldest drug available that has been used to treat high cholesterol levels. They may, however, not be as effective as newer medications and are typically used by patients who have slightly elevated cholesterol levels.
Examples of this class of drugs include colestipol (Colestid) and cholestyramine resin (Prevalite and Questran Light).
Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors
Ezetimibe is a cholesterol absorption inhibitor. This phrase means it works to prevent the intestines from absorbing cholesterol. Ezetimibe (Zetia) is the only cholesterol absorption inhibitor available that can be used with other statins, including Livalo, or taken by itself.
PCSK9 Inhibitors
PCSK9 inhibitors help to regulate how much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol can enter the bloodstream. How does it work? Inside the body is a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) gene. These inhibitors work to change the gene so that there are less LDL receptors, as the medication helps to lower the enzymes (specialized proteins) that create cholesterol.
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