Fatty liver and lipid lowering drugs

        Source: Global Times - Life Weekly reporter Wang Yongjie

        Fatty liver has become a common disease in today's society. In patients with fatty liver, about 1/3 of people with elevated blood lipids. Fatty liver can use lipid lowering drug treatment? The combination of high blood fat people and how to use the blood fat drugs? These readers are concerned about the issue, the reporter interviewed Beijing Friendship Hospital Liver Disease Research Center Dr. Xu Youqing.

Blood lipid and liver injury

        Dr. Xu said, in general, more than 5% of the liver weight of fat, can be considered a patient suffering from fatty liver. The following people prone to fatty liver: heavy drinkers, obesity, diabetes mellitus. Even people who lose weight too quickly will suffer from fatty liver. In particular, 75% of obese people are associated with fatty liver. Fatty liver is severe, can lead to fatty liver, fatty liver fibrosis, and even cirrhosis of the liver, a serious threat to health.

        Many people have a question: since it is fatty liver, can be treated with lipid lowering drugs? In fact, patients with fatty liver disease can not blindly take fat drugs, so that not only can not cure the fatty liver, but will make it worse.        

        It turned out that the reason why the blood lipid regulation of blood lipids, is through the liver to play a role. Liver health, blood lipid drugs in order to play a good role. However, the liver cells of the patients with fatty liver have been damaged, and the role of lipid lowering drugs has been weakened. In addition, cholesterol lowering drugs are generally in the liver metabolism, "is the three drug toxicity", the liver is not good people should try to avoid the use of drugs by the liver metabolism. Therefore, patients with fatty liver using lipid lowering drugs, may increase the accumulation of fat in the liver cells, liver enlargement, elevated aminotransferase, some patients also appear jaundice.

        Dr. Xu said, for no high blood fat (high cholesterol, high triglyceride) fatty liver patients, do not need to use a blood fat drugs.

        Can not use drugs as far as possible

        So, fatty liver patients with hyperlipidemia, can not use a blood fat drugs? Dr. Xu said that such patients should also try to avoid the use of lipid lowering drugs.

        The so-called as far as possible to avoid, that patients do not be the first choice of drug treatment, but the first to do a good job in the treatment of homework". First, by controlling the diet, strengthening exercise, slowly reducing body weight to control the disease. Need to be reminded that weight loss can lead to excessive fat liver. Second, for the cause of treatment, for diabetes caused by fatty liver, in the treatment of the first to control the patient's blood sugar level. When the blood sugar tends to be normal, some patients' blood lipid level will be reduced, and even return to normal level. For alcohol induced fatty liver, is to control drinking while taking some protective drugs. In general, 3 months later, serum lipid level drinkers can return to normal. Third, Chinese medicine can also play a role in regulating blood lipids, but must choose a regular hospital.

Use of lipid lowering drugs should be careful

        Dr. Xu said, do a good job in the treatment of homework, the level of blood lipids in patients with fatty liver is still very high, only to consider the use of lipid lowering drugs, but must be closely observed. There are several drugs: statins such as Lipitor, Pravachol, Zocor, solid, mainly to lower cholesterol; fibrates, niacin decreased triglyceride; elevated HDL cholesterol. In addition, deep sea fish oil, lecithin can also play a certain effect. If the patient's blood lipid index is only an increase, then only need to choose a targeted drug can be.

Dr. Xu stressed that the fatty liver patients in the use of lipid lowering drugs, must be under the guidance of a doctor, adhere to the principle of small doses, strict observation, prudent use. The course of treatment is generally 1 - February, if there is no effect, you have to stop using. In the course of taking drugs, every half a month, to check the liver function, as far as possible to reduce or avoid drugs on the liver damage.