Heart Health High Cholesterol Treatment Cheap Drug Alternatives to Lower Your Cholesterol Generic statins and natural supplements save money By Cathryn Meurer Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI on November 13, 2019 facebook twitter linkedin Yasmine Ali, MD, is board-certified in cardiology. She is an assistant clinical professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and an award-winning physician writer. Learn about our Medical Review Board Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI on November 13, 2019 Print Cholesterol drugs can strain your budget. Brand-name statins like Crestor (rosuvastatin) can sell for more than $100 a month. But most drugs in the statin family come in cheaper, generic forms, and it may be beneficial to switch. They cost as little as $4 for a 30-day supply—offering substantial protection against heart disease for less than the cost of a daily vitamin. The generic statins include: Brand Name Generic Lipitor atorvastatin Mevacor, Altoprev lovastatin Pravachol pravastatin Zocor simvastatin Lescol fluvastatin Crestor rosuvastatin Vytorin is a name-brand combination of Zetia (ezetimibe) and simvastatin that lost its patent protection in 2017. Generic versions are expected. Tom Werner / Getty Images Safely Going Generic With Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs A large study found that people who took generic statins were more likely to adhere to taking them and had lower rates of heart attack, stroke, or all-cause mortality. One key factor in which statin is right for you is your level of LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. How low do you need it to go? "If somebody needs a moderate reduction of cholesterol, it is often safe to switch to something like simvastatin," says Joseph Miller, MD, clinical director of the heart health program at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. As patents expire, the newer statins become available in generic form. Lipitor was the most commonly prescribed statin and is available in the generic form, atorvastatin. Before atorvastatin debuted as a generic drug, simvastatin was the most potent generic and may be useful for people who need a 35 percent or greater drop in LDL cholesterol. Pravastatin may be an appropriate generic for people taking multiple medicines because it appears less likely to cause undesirable drug interactions. When Only a Brand-Name Statin Will Do Choosing the right cholesterol medicine for your individual needs can be a complex decision best made by your physician. For some people, only a brand-name statin will do. If you fall into a high-risk category for heart disease or have very high LDL cholesterol, you may require the most potent statins available, which may not be yet available in generic form. Eating More Fiber Boosting your intake of soluble fiber can lower blood cholesterol levels as much as 10 percent, Miller says. Oatmeal helps, as do special margarine, juices, vitamins and yogurts fortified with plant sterols. "If you're close to your goal on a generic drug, these other options can get you there," he says. Splitting or Skipping Pills Pharmacies often charge the same price for different doses, so many doctors will prescribe a stronger dose than needed and tell patients to split their pills. You get the dose you need at a lower cost. This is safe and widely accepted. What doesn't work is skipping doses or taking a drug "holiday" without your doctor's approval to save money. Your "bad" cholesterol will rise, and with it, your risk for a heart attack or stroke. When medicine costs are simply out of reach, people can try the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, which provides free medication to those in need. What If You Stopped Cholesterol-Lowering Medication? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to start a diet to better manage your cholesterol? Changing lifelong eating habits can be scary at first, but our guide will make it easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Daugherty, Alan, Ph.D. Personal interview. 20 Oct. 2008. Gagne JJ, Choudhry NK, Kesselheim AS, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Generic and Brand-Name Statins on Patient Outcomes. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2014;161(6):400. doi:10.7326/m13-2942. Miller, Joseph I., MD. Personal Interview. 22 Oct. 2008. Rosenson RS. Lipid Lowering With Drugs Other Than Statins and Fibrates. UptoDate Inc. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol-lowering-with-drugs-other-than-statins-and-pcsk9-inhibitors. Updated March 20, 2017. Rosenson RS. Lipid Lowering With Statins. UpToDate Inc. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/statins-actions-side-effects-and-administration. Updated November 15, 2017.