Risks of Not Taking Your Cholesterol Medication

December 28, 2014

Day 10: Risks of Not Taking Your Cholesterol Medication Facts and Tips about Cholesterol Drugs By Beth Isaac, PharmD

Cholesterol, unlike blood pressure, will not change with one missed dose. If you miss one dose of your cholesterol-lowering medication you won't feel any differently, as you would if you missed a dose of an antidepressant. However, it is important to remember to take your medication every day. One missed dose can lead to several missed doses, and this could be dangerous when trying to prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and heart disease that can be caused by high cholesterol. If you miss a dose of your cholesterol-lowering medication, the rule of thumb is to take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your medication at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take a double dose of your medication to make up for your missed dose. There are several risks of repeatedly missing doses or forgetting to take your cholesterol-lowering medication. Find out what happens if you miss a dose and when is the best time to take cholesterol-lowering drugs. »

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