Price
The base price of colestyramine is around 60 to 80 cents per bag. A pack of 100 bags costs about 70 euros. The costs are usually covered by health insurance companies.
Is cholestyramine available over the counter?
In Germany, colestyramine is available only in pharmacies and only on prescription. You cannot therefore buy colestyramine without a prescription from a doctor. Even if relatives or acquaintances have this medicine at home, those affected should not take it without consulting their doctor, as the side effects and interactions must be weighed up individually. Since in many cases the cholesterol values already decrease with a change of diet, a drug therapy is often not necessary.
Alternatives to colestyramine
The main alternative to treatment with colestyramine is a change in diet. In many cases, cholesterol levels can already be reduced well with reduced-fat foods and a Mediterranean diet. Exercise and weight reduction can also be successful.
A direct relative of colestyramine is colestipol. This also works through the exchange of bile acids and the reduced absorption in the intestine. A frequently prescribed group of drugs are statins. These inhibit an enzyme in the production chain of cholesterol and thus lower the blood level. Drug lowering of triglycerides can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Intake during pregnancy and lactation
Especially in combination therapy with statins, the intake of colestyramine leads to a reduced absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. A vitamin K deficiency during pregnancy can lead to bleeding, especially in the brain, in the unborn child and should therefore only be given if absolutely necessary. Care must be taken to ensure a sufficient supply of fat-soluble vitamins. Colestyramine is not absorbed into the body and therefore cannot pass into breast milk, but here too the vitamin deficiency can cause damage to the infant.
