This medication may be used to lower the amount of ‘bad cholesterol’ (low density lipoprotein or LDL-cholesterol) in the body. It may also help increase the amount of ‘good cholesterol’ (high density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol). High ‘bad cholesterol’ levels can cause your blood vessels to clog up and increase the risk for chest pain (angina), heart attack or stroke. Hence, this medication can help reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.
This medication may also be used in some patients to treat itch caused by a long term liver disease known as primary biliary cirrhosis, where the bile ducts (tubes that carry bile fluid) in your liver are slowly destroyed.
Some common side effects of cholestyramine include:
Speak to your doctor if these side effects are serious or happen for a long time.
The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.
Inform your healthcare professional if:
Please also inform your doctor about all other medications that you usually take. This is important as certain medications (e.g. warfarin) may interact with cholestyramine and may affect their effectiveness or increase the risk of side effects.
Cholestyramine may affect the absorption of other medications. Take other medications at least 1 hour before or 4 to 6 hours after taking cholestyramine.
Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.
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