From the Research
You should not stop taking Nustendi before your blood test unless specifically instructed to do so by your healthcare provider. Most lipid panels and other routine blood tests are designed to monitor how your medication is working while you're taking it, so continuing your medication provides the most accurate assessment of its effectiveness. Stopping the medication before testing could lead to misleading results that don't reflect how the drug is managing your cholesterol levels during regular use. If your doctor wants to evaluate your baseline lipid levels without medication influence, they would explicitly instruct you to temporarily discontinue the medication for a specific period before testing. This is because Nustendi works by reducing cholesterol production in the liver and decreasing cholesterol absorption in the intestines, effects that would begin to diminish within days of stopping the medication, as seen in studies such as 1. Always consult with your healthcare provider about any questions regarding medication management before blood tests to ensure you receive the most appropriate guidance for your specific situation. Some key points to consider include:
- The importance of monitoring medication effectiveness through blood tests while the patient is on the medication
- The potential for misleading results if the medication is stopped before testing
- The need for explicit instruction from a healthcare provider to discontinue medication before a blood test
- The mechanism of action of Nustendi in reducing cholesterol production and absorption, as discussed in 1, which supports the continuation of the medication during blood testing for accurate assessment of its effects.