Mr. Wang is 50 years old this year. He likes to eat fatty meat and fried foods usually, coupled with high work pressure and lack of exercise. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with high blood lipids during a physical examination. The doctor prescribed lipid-lowering drugs for him and instructed him to take them long-term.
Mr. Wang takes the medication on time, but he always feels that taking medication is troublesome and always wants to ask the doctor if it is possible to stop the medication. The doctor told him that high blood lipids are not a trivial matter. Once lipid-lowering drugs are taken, they generally cannot be easily stopped. However, there are two situations in which it is possible to stop the medication. So, Mr. Wang decided to carefully listen to the doctor’s advice.
Definition and Hazards of High Blood Lipids
High blood lipids, as the name suggests, refer to excessive fat content in the blood. The fats in the blood mainly include cholesterol and triglycerides. When these fat levels exceed normal levels, it will have a significant impact on health. The main hazard of high blood lipids is that it increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
High blood lipids can lead to atherosclerosis, lipid deposition on blood vessel walls, and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. These plaques may cause blood vessel narrowing or blockage, leading to serious diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, etc.
The incidence of high blood lipids is very high, which is closely related to poor dietary habits and lifestyle in modern society. For example, regularly consuming high-fat, high-sugar foods, lack of exercise, long-term smoking and drinking, etc., will increase the risk of high blood lipids.
Many patients do not have obvious symptoms in the early stages, making it easy to be overlooked. By the time it is discovered, it is often difficult to treat. Therefore, regular check-ups and early detection of high blood lipids are crucial.
Normal Range of Blood Lipids
Understanding the normal range of blood lipids helps in determining whether one has high blood lipids. Cholesterol is divided into two types: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is known as “good cholesterol” because it helps remove cholesterol from arterial walls, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Generally, the ideal level of HDL-C should be greater than or equal to 1.3 millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is known as “bad cholesterol” because it is prone to deposition on arterial walls, leading to atherosclerosis. The ideal level of LDL-C should be less than 3.4 millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
Triglycerides are also an important fat substance in the blood. Elevated triglycerides can also lead to cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and other health issues. The normal range for triglycerides is usually 0.45 to 1.69 millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
These data are standards derived from multiple studies aimed at helping people better understand whether their blood lipid levels are healthy. Regular monitoring of blood lipid levels is key to preventing and controlling high blood lipids.
For those whose blood lipid levels are beyond the normal range, taking appropriate measures to control blood lipids is crucial, including improving diet, increasing physical activity, and complying with lipid-lowering drug prescriptions.
Necessity of Long-term Lipid-lowering Drug Use
For patients with high blood lipids, long-term use of lipid-lowering drugs is one of the important means to control the condition. Lipid-lowering drugs mainly protect cardiovascular health by lowering the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). These drugs work by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis in the liver, reducing cholesterol levels in the blood, thereby preventing atherosclerosis and plaque formation.
Many patients have significantly improved blood lipid levels after taking lipid-lowering drugs, but this does not mean they can stop taking them on their own. The reason is that once the drugs are stopped, the body’s cholesterol synthesis mechanism will quickly resume, leading to a rise in blood lipid levels.
Especially for middle-aged and elderly people, whose blood vessels have begun to age with plaques and atherosclerosis, a recurrence of high blood lipid levels can easily lead to serious issues such as ruptured blood vessels and thrombotic strokes.
Another important reason is that the inhibitors in lipid-lowering drugs need to be used long-term to maintain their effectiveness. Only with long-term medication can the body’s cholesterol metabolism be thoroughly changed.
Doctors usually recommend patients to take lipid-lowering drugs long-term, especially for those who have already experienced cardiovascular diseases. This is not only to control blood lipids but also to prevent more serious cardiovascular events from occurring.
It is worth noting that taking lipid-lowering drugs is not the only means of control. Patients also need to improve their diet and lifestyle to assist in drug treatment. For example, reducing intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake, etc. These lifestyle changes are crucial for controlling blood lipids and improving cardiovascular health.
Two Situations When Stopping Medication is Possible
Although long-term use of lipid-lowering drugs is an important means of controlling high blood lipids, in certain specific situations, patients may have the opportunity to gradually stop medication under medical guidance. The first situation is individuals who have successfully changed their lifestyle.
For those patients who have successfully lowered their cholesterol levels through dietary improvements, increased exercise, etc., doctors may recommend gradually reducing the medication dosage or even stopping it at the appropriate time.
Specifically, these patients need to ensure, under close monitoring by their doctors, that their blood lipid levels remain stable without drug intervention.
Sustaining a healthy lifestyle is key, including engaging in moderate aerobic exercise daily, maintaining a balanced diet, avoiding high-fat and high-sugar foods, etc. Only under these conditions will the doctor consider tapering off the medication to ensure the patient’s health is not compromised.
The second situation is individuals whose diseases are effectively controlled. For patients whose diseases are effectively controlled and cholesterol levels are stable, stopping medication can also be considered under medical guidance.
These patients typically, after long-term medication use, have had their blood lipid levels reach the ideal range through multiple checks and assessments without showing signs of cardiovascular events. In this case, doctors will develop a gradual drug reduction plan based on the patient’s specific condition to ensure there is no risk of lipid rebound after stopping the medication.
