CHS Pharmacy News
February 2026
Business Hours
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Heart Disease*
Heart disease encompasses various conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, often stemming from plaque buildup (atherosclerosis) in arteries, as seen in Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), which narrows vessels and limits blood flow, potentially causing chest pain or heart attack, while Heart Failure occurs when the heart weakens and can’t pump enough blood, leading to fatigue and swelling. Both conditions develop gradually and are linked to risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and inactivity, but can often be managed with lifestyle changes and medical care to allow for a full life.
Cholesterol Management**
Cholesterol is commonly managed with medications that work in different ways to improve heart health. The most widely used are statins, such as atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin, and pravastatin, which lower cholesterol by reducing how much the liver produces. When statins alone are not enough or are not well tolerated, other options may be added or used instead. These include ezetimibe, which limits cholesterol absorption in the intestine; PCSK9 inhibitors like alirocumab and evolocumab, which are injectable medications that significantly lower LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol; fibrates, which are mainly used to lower triglycerides; bile acid sequestrants, which help remove cholesterol from the body through the digestive tract; and niacin, a form of vitamin B3 that can lower LDL and triglycerides while raising HDL, or “good,” cholesterol. Newer agents, such as bempedoic acid, also reduce cholesterol production in the liver and offer additional options for patients who need further cholesterol control.
Drug Monitoring: Amiodarone
Amiodarone is classified as an antiarrhythmic medication. It acts directly on cardiac tissue, slowing nerve impulses within the heart to maintain a normal heart rhythm.
- Lab monitoring should be done routinely, specifically: LFTs, BMP, Thyroid
- Can cause an individual to burn more easily in the sun
- Recommend regular ophthalmic exams
- May have drug-drug interactions, consult your consultant pharmacist
- Recommend pulse checks to evaluate for bradycardia
Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
- * Mayo Clinic Staff. Heart disease. Mayo Clinic. Published July 31, 2023. Accessed January 30, 2026. mayoclinic.org
- ** American Heart Association. Cholesterol medications. American Heart Association. Accessed January 30, 2026. heart.org