Statins
Statins are the most commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering medications. Generic names share the "-statin" suffix, making them easy to identify:
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor) - one of the most dispensed medications overall
- Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
- Pravastatin (Pravachol)
Key counseling points: patients should report unexplained muscle pain, and some statins have interactions with grapefruit juice.
Non-Statin Cholesterol Medications
While statins are the primary cholesterol treatment, other medications are used in combination or as alternatives:
- Ezetimibe (Zetia) - reduces cholesterol absorption in the intestine, often used alongside statins
- Fenofibrate (TriCor) - a fibrate that primarily targets triglycerides
- Omega-3 fatty acid products - prescription-strength fish oil for triglyceride management
Combination Products
Some products combine a statin with another cholesterol medication in one tablet. Ezetimibe/simvastatin (Vytorin) is one example. Knowing that combination products exist is relevant to both prescription processing and the PTCE.
Exam Relevance
For the PTCE, focus on recognizing statins by their "-statin" suffix, knowing common brand/generic pairs, understanding that muscle pain is a key monitoring concern, and recognizing the existence of non-statin alternatives. Statins are high-yield because they are so commonly dispensed and have clear, testable characteristics.