Welchol Information

Welchol (colesevelam) is a cholesterol-lowering medication that belongs to the bile acid resin class of drugs. Studies have shown that Welchol mainly lowers LDL cholesterol by 15 to 30% and slightly raises HDL by 3 to 5%. Welchol does not appear to affect triglycerides and, in some cases, may actually raise triglycerides if taken for a prolonged amount of time.The following drugs may interact with Welchol by decreasing the amount of the medication absorbed into your blood. As a rule, it is probably a good idea not to take any other medications or supplements two hours before or six hours after taking any bile acid resin drug, such as Welchol. If you are required to take one of the drugs or supplements listed below, your healthcare provider may need to adjust your dose or the time you take it, monitor you more closely for side effects, or discontinue your use of it all together: This is a brief, non-inclusive overview of Welchol. It should not replace the information provided by your healthcare provider or the manufacturer of this drug.

Sources:

Dipiro JT, Talbert RL. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiological Approach, 6th ed 2005.

Lacy CF, Armstrong LL, Goldman MP, et al. Lexicomp's Drug Information Handbook, 15th ed 2007.

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