Atherosclerosis: In a Nutshell (Nursing)

00:01 So let's wrap up this video series.

00:03 Cholesterol's in every membrane of your cell.

00:06 Now right now, LDL is thought to be the most significant contributor to atherosclerosis, which is why we use the statins.

00:13 Diet and exercise can significantly impact LDL and HDL levels, meaning lower LDL can raise the HDL.

00:22 However, sometimes medications are necessary, and statins are the most effective drugs for lowering blood LDL levels.

00:31 Now statins increase the number of LDL receptors in the liver.

00:35 So more in the liver, means less in the blood.

00:38 So the target is usually an LDL of less than 100 (mg/dL) but if the patient has some significantly high risk, we may shoot for less than 70 (mg/dL).

00:47 Most statins should be given at night, so be sure to educate your patient about that.

00:52 So you should give or take your statins at nighttime for the most effective experience of lowering the LDL.

00:59 Thank you for watching our video today.