VOLUME 10 NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2013
69
SA JOURNAL OF DIABETES & VASCULAR DISEASE
PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET
a variety of foods from all the major food groups, easily found at the local
grocery store. Most importantly, your diet should include foods that you
like and will continue to enjoy eating.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical inactivity contributes to obesity and can raise levels of bad choles-
terol. If you have not been physically active, the key to success is starting
slowly. Gradually incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine.
Use the stairs instead of taking the lift. Take a walk during lunch hour or
in the evening with friends and family. Gradually increase the length or the
pace of your walks. Finding an exercise buddy or joining an exercise group
can help keep you motivated. There are so many other benefits to increas-
ing our activity levels that it seems quite foolish not to (Box 2).
MEDICINES
Sometimes, regardless of changes in lifestyle, drug therapy is still needed
to help keep cholesterol levels low. Keep up with lifestyle changes any-
way, as this will ensure that you are taking the lowest necessary dose of
medicine and it will also benefit other risk factors for heart disease.
A SENSIBLE APPROACH TO MAKING CHANGES
Set specific, realistic goals that are smaller steps leading to a larger
goal. By progressively achieving small changes, you should stay moti-
vated for the entire journey.
Reward yourself with a well-deserved non-food item or experience
with each achievement.
Let loved ones know what you want to achieve. Asides from moral
support, they may be able to help in more concrete ways, such as the
preparation of healthier meals.
Despite our best intentions; it is not always easy to maintain lifestyle
changes over the medium- to long-term. Don’t worry! Everybody tries
and tries again. This is a long-term change and small victories are better
than no progress.
Think about what led you astray in the first place. The wrong snacks at
a party? Too little time to exercise? Consider strategies to manage such
circumstances in the future.
Have you tried to do too much at once? Stopped smoking, crash diet-
ing and pulled your hamstring at the fun-run? Break the process down
into small steps. Gradually work towards your goal and give yourself the
chance to slowly and comfortably adapt to your lifestyle changes. Cel-
ebrate your successes!
Resources
National Institute of Health.
Your guide to lowering cholesterol with TLC (Therapeutic Life-
style Changes)
.
2005
;
University of Ottawa Evidence-based Practice Center.
Comparative Effectiveness of
Lipid-Modifying Agents
.
2009
;
Mayo Clinic Staff.
Top 5 lifestyle changes to reduce cholesterol
.
2012
;
mayoclinic.com/health/reduce-cholesterol/CL00012/
American Heart Association.
-
terol/PreventionTreatmentofHighCholesterol/
(Accessed 27 June, 2013)
Box 2.
Benefits of regular physical activity
• Physical activity helps to lower bad cholesterol levels.
• Physical activity is good for your heart.
• It is easier to control your weight when you are active.
• Physical activity can boost your ability to make other improvements in life-
style such as diet changes.
• You feel and look better when you are physically active.
• Physical activity helps to beat stress and depression.
• You’ll have more energy.
• You can share physical activities with friends and family, it can be lots of fun.
There are a number of types of drugs used to control cholesterol, work-
ing in different ways. The best drug for you will depend on other medi-
cines you may be taking (prescribed, over-the-counter and home/natural
remedies) and whether or not the drug gives you side effects.
Most people are initially prescribed a statin, which works by block-
ing the liver from making cholesterol. Other cholesterol-lowering drugs
work by decreasing the amount of fat absorbed from food (bile acid bind-
ers and cholesterol absorption inhibitors) or by helping the liver to break
down bad cholesterol (fibrates). If taking one drug does not lower your
cholesterol enough, a second medicine may be added.
Minor side effects of these medicines include heartburn and diarrhoea.
These often go away after taking the medicine for a few days. It is im-
portant to tell your doctor if these symptoms (or any others) are severe or
do not go away. Serious side effects are rare, but can occur.
It is very important to know how to take your medicine properly (Box
3). If you are having trouble understanding your doctor, take a friend
with to help you. It is also important to tell the doctor if you think that the
medicine is not working. If this is the case, the doctor needs to find out
why and make any changes that may be needed. Don’t stop taking your
medicine without speaking to the doctor or nurse first.
Box 3.
Taking medicine the right way
Important things to find out about
• Why am I taking the medicine?
• When do I need to take the medicine?
• How often do I need to take the medicine?
• How many pills do I need to take?
• Do I need to take the medicine with food or on an empty stomach?
• What happens if I don’t take the medicine properly?
DO NOT STOP TAKING YOUR MEDICINE WITHOUT SPEAKING TO
YOUR DOCTOR FIRST
Tips for remembering to take medicine
• Take the medicine at the same time every day.
• It is easier to remember when associating taking the medicine with other
daily events like brushing teeth.
• Ask family and friends to help remind you.
• Put a reminder note on your fridge or medicine cabinet.
• Set an alarm reminder on your cell phone or watch.
• There are many different types of pill containers, some even beep when
it is time to take your medicine. Speak to your pharmacist about the best
type of pill container for you.
• If you are often away from home, remember to carry extra medicine with
you in your briefcase or toiletry bag.
