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Women Veterans: Personalized Cholesterol Treatment – Finding Statins That Work Best
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women. High cholesterol plays a big role because it can build up and block blood flow. Statins are a medicine that can significantly lower cholesterol
and reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Statins work best when combined with healthy lifestyle habits.
What is PGx testing?
Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing is a blood test that checks your genes to see how your body breaks down medicine. PGx testing for cholesterol medicines does not tell you if you will get heart disease. PGx results are just one piece of your care. Other things matter too. Your age, weight, kidney and liver health, other medicines you take, and your personal and family history of heart disease influence your heart disease risk.
How can PGx testing help with statins?
If you’re worried about side effects from statins or have had issues taking your statins in the past, PGx testing can help your health care team choose the statin medicine that works better and is safer. Ask your health care provider if PGx testing is right for you.
How can you get the most benefit from your statins?
- Take your statin exactly as prescribed, at the same time each day.
- Don’t skip doses or stop your medicine without first talking with your provider.
- Tell your care team about all other medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take.
- Make healthy lifestyle choices: don’t smoke, eat heart healthy foods, manage stress, be active, and keep a healthy weight.
Remember – when taking a statin, tell your care team right away if you have severe muscle pain, dark urine, yellow-tinted eyes, or trouble breathing.
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Click on the following links What is PGx testing? or Managing Your Cholesterol with Medicine to learn more about how PGx testing and statins can support your heart health.
For information on many other topics, visit the Veterans Health Library website at veteranshealthlibrary.va.gov
About Louisville VA health care
The Robley Rex VA Medical Center is a tertiary care facility classified as a Clinical Referral Level 1b Facility. In total, the healthcare system, including eight community-based outpatient clinics, employs over 2,000 people and services nearly 45,000 Veterans in a 35-county area of Kentucky and Indiana.
To learn about the Robley Rex VA Medical Center, please visit us at https://www.va.gov/louisville-health-care/, like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VALouisville or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/valouisville.
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