Anti-Cholesterol Drugs

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatlike substance made in the liver and other cells of the human body. It is also found in foods derived from animals, such as dairy products, eggs, and meat. Cholesterol assists cell walls in the production of hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that aid fat digestion. While the human body requires a certain amount of cholesterol to function properly, too much cholesterol can lead to health problems, such as cardiovascular disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 17 percent of the U.S. population has high cholesterol.

Cholesterol travels through the blood attached to a protein in units called lipoproteins, which are classified as high density, low density, or very low density, depending on how ...