Lipitor is the best selling drug in the world, with sales in 2008 of over US$12 billion. Lipitor is in a class of drugs called statins, used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol in the liver. Other popular statins are Crestor, Zocor, Lescol, Mevacor, Altocor, Altoprev, Livalo, Pitava, Pravachol, Selektine, Lipostat, Lipex.

How Do Statins Work?

Watch this excellent video explaining how statins work and the cause of the serious side effects of statin use.

But for the first half of the 20th century, desiccated thyroid was the standard treatment for high cholesterol. Elevated cholesterol and triglycerides are one of the myriad symptoms of hypothyroidism. Desiccated thyroid normalized cholesterol and triglycerides in 95% of the patients treated. The 5% who had persistently elevated levels had no increased incidence of heart attacks. Desiccated thyroid therapy also resolved a long list of other hypothyroid symptoms such as fatigue, cold intolerance, joint and muscle pain, dry skin, inability to lose weight, headaches, and menstrual problems.