Hypercholesterolemia, or excess cholesterol, seriously damages health. A balanced diet and regular exercise help control cholesterol levels and prevent other associated risk factors.

Hypercholesterolemia is the elevated blood cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dl, as a universally accepted figure currently based on the risk of cardiovascular consequences above them.

Cholesterol is necessary for the development and operation of certain hormones and certain components of cells. It needs to travel within the lipoproteins in the bloodstream since, being a fatty substance, it is not soluble in aqueous media. These lipoproteins are what we know as HDL, LDL, or VLDL.

Cholesterol that travels in HDL is considered ” good ” because it goes to the liver to expel fat through the bile and later in the stool. It helps, therefore, to eliminate excess cholesterol from the cells of the body. The “bad” cholesterol or LDL is directed towards the arteries to form the atheroma plaques that can impede them and cause irrigation deficits.

In general, dyslipidemia is known as those blood alterations in the levels of cholesterol, lipoproteins, or triglycerides; when they are well defined, they are called hypercholesterolemia (if it is an exclusive elevation of cholesterol) or hypertriglyceridemia (when the elevation is in triglycerides).

There is extensive knowledge about the direct relationship between hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease, specifically LDL or bad cholesterol.

Likewise, there is evidence to affirm that HDL cholesterol is protective against these types of diseases. In Spain, for example, more than half of the population over 30 years of age has total cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dl. In Asia, on the other hand, their prevalence is much lower due to the type of diet they follow.

Elevated cholesterol levels reflect the negative impact of a sedentary lifestyle, excess body weight, and diets rich in total and saturated fats. It is, therefore, a modifiable risk factor, and therefore, a cause of preventable cardiovascular disease and death.

Hence, programs to educate the population on reducing cholesterol levels by modifying unhealthy lifestyles have been promoted in recent decades. The follow-up of an adequate pharmacological treatment prescribed by the doctor in the cases in which it is necessary.

On the other hand, familial hypercholesterolemia is known as familial hypercholesterolemia, not dependent on lifestyle habits but linked to the mutation of some genes, and therefore less elastic. However, an early diagnosis will help reduce its complications.

Types of hypercholesterolemia

There are two types of hypercholesterolemia, depending on the origin or cause that produces it:

• Primary hypercholesterolemia: No obvious cause is found or is related to genetic factors or alterations in the transport of cholesterol in the blood, where environmental factors (diet, sedentary life, etc.) also influence.
• Secondary hypercholesterolemia: this hypercholesterolemia account for 20% or less of hyperlipemias. The increase in cholesterol levels is associated with liver diseases, such as hepatitis, cholestasis, cirrhosis, endocrine, diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism; and kidney nephrotic syndrome or chronic kidney failure. This also includes substances that increase blood cholesterol levels, such as progestogens, glucocorticoids, and beta-blockers.

Severe forms of hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease – that is, you only need to inherit the defective gene from one parent to suffer from the disease – due to more than 700 mutations that affect the LDL-cholesterol receptor gene ( or bad cholesterol ).

It affects 50% of the offspring. The altered gene is located on chromosome 19 and is the most common monogenic disease of the human species, with an approximate prevalence of one affected per 500 healthy subjects (0.2%).

Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia have LDL cholesterol levels double-triple those observed in the general population, ranging between 190 and 400mg / dL, while triglycerides are generally in normal values. In some cases, they could be elevated.

The natural history of familial hypercholesterolemia is closely linked to the development of cardiovascular disease. The main cause of death in these patients is ischemic heart disease:

• 50% of women and 85% of untreated men will suffer a coronary event before 65.
• The risk of coronary heart disease is 100 times more frequent in the population aged 20-39 years with FH.
• In some countries, it has been responsible for 10% of cases of early coronary artery disease. It is not uncommon for severe atherosclerosis to appear in youth or middle age.
• It is not associated with high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Coronary heart disease develops in males by age 40 or earlier.
• The value and extent of the remaining classic cardiovascular risk factors are not comparable to that of the general population.

Tidact cream or also available in other topical forms like tidact gel contains clindamycin phosphate. Clindamycin is an antibiotic used to fight against serious bacterial infections. Tidact comes in other forms of preparations as well including, oral and injectable medications. Topical preparations consist of clindamycin phosphate while other forms contain clindamycin hydrochloride. Topical preparations of tidact cream or gel are used only for external purposes which is applied to a clean and dry skin. Nowadays, tidact cream is a well known treatment for acne vulgaris. Keep reading to know more on uses of tidact cream.

Acne is a common skin condition especially during puberty and pregnancy. The most common age group to suffer from acne vulgaris is about 13 to 15 years old. It is well known as pimples and happens when your hair follicles beneath the skin get clogged up. It is commonly seen at the face, chest, shoulders, arm, and neck. Hormonal changes during puberty probably plays an important role in causing acne vulgaris.

There are several myths on acne vulgaris namely, dirty skin as a cause of pimples and consumption of greasy food. However, these reasons don’t cause pimples but they make them worse. Treatment of acnes include applying tidact cream gently with an appropriate dosage on skin that is affected. The antibiotic in this cream helps to stop or slow the bacteria that contribute the acne to multiply.

Apart from acne vulgaris, tidact in other forms of preparations are also used to treat severe bacterial infections from skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal causes. For other uses of tidact in other forms of preparation, you can refer to your local pharmaceutical guidelines on the net prior to consulting a doctor.

Precautions on using tidact

• Avoid taking this medication for a longer use. Only use the medication as has been prescribed by the doctor.
• Do inform the doctor earlier if you are using other medications at the same time, as it might interfere with the way this drug reacts.
• Tidact gel/cream should be used cautiously in patients with liver dysfunction where dose adjustment is needed.
• Tidact cream is not advisable to be used in severe kidney impairment. For mild to moderate impairment, a dose adjustment might be needed.
• Consumption of alcohol advised with usage of tidact as the interaction between this drug with alcohol may cause drowsiness and might increase the possibility of side effects occurring. If you ever consume alcohol, try to limit them to not more than 90 ml per day.

Side effects of tidact

Like any other medications, you may also experience some side effects from using tidact. Most of these side effects are not alarming and concerning, however it is to make you aware of them and consult a doctor immediately if the symptoms get worse.

1. Nausea & Vomiting
2. Rashes
3. Urticaria
4. Abdominal pain
5. Diarrhea
6. Pseudomembranous colitis

Do consult a doctor if you get serious rashes and blurry of vision as these might indicate severe side effects requiring interventions.

If you have missed a dose of tidact, do consume it as soon as you notice them. If the time for the next dosage is very close, skip the dose and do not try to double the dose at any time. If you notice that you overdosed on your tidact cream/gel for some time, please consult a doctor immediately as overdosing might yield some undesirable side effects mentioned above. Meanwhile, taking an expired tidact cream/gel may not cause harm but you are advised to consult a doctor just to be on the safe side.