What Is Colestipol Used For?

What is colestipol used for? This prescription medicine works to lower LDL and total cholesterol levels enough to reduce the risk of complications associated with high cholesterol, such as heart attack or stroke. The drug should be used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise for the optimum effect. Colestipol is not used for children, nor are there any off-label uses at this time.

Colestipol Drug

What Is Colestipol Used For? -- An Overview

Colestipol (Colestid^®) is a medication that has been licensed for use in the treatment of high LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and high total cholesterol.

Understanding High Cholesterol

High levels of cholesterol in the blood can accumulate on the walls of arteries (a condition known as atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries), leading to decreased blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart, brain, and other areas of the body. This can greatly increase a person's risk for developing conditions such as heart disease, angina (chest pain), heart attack, and/or stroke.

Colestipol has been licensed for the treatment of high cholesterol and should be used in combination with a low cholesterol diet and exercise. It works by lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Colestipol can be used alone or in combination with an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (known more commonly as statins) to lower cholesterol.

In general, cholesterol treatment is aimed at lowering LDL cholesterol levels enough to reduce the risk of developing complications associated with high cholesterol (see Effects of High Cholesterol). If you are at a higher risk, you will have a lower LDL goal.

(Click High Cholesterol Risk to see a list of risk factors that may affect your cholesterol level and a general guideline of ideal LDL cholesterol levels.)

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