Overview of the Lipid Effects of Avandia
Cholesterol Effects of Avandia: What Does the Research Show?
In studies, Avandia increased LDL
cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) by 14.1 to 18.6 percent. However, Avandia also increased HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) by 11.4 to 14.2 percent. While these changes cause an increase in total cholesterol, they usually keep the
cholesterol ratio (the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL) the same. In other words, Avandia increases both the good and the bad cholesterol by about the same amount.
Free Fatty Acids and Avandia
In the same studies, Avandia was shown to decrease free fatty acids by as much as 14.
7 percent. Free fatty acids are related to
triglycerides, but are not the same as triglycerides. In fact, triglyceride levels did not change in these studies. Free fatty acids are often higher in people who are obese or who have
diabetes, and may be linked to insulin resistance or other problems with diabetes.