Final answer:
For a patient with LDL cholesterol > 200 mg/dL, a healthcare provider is likely to prescribe statins like Atorvastatin or Rosuvastatin to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
For a patient with an LDL level > 200 mg/dL, one can anticipate that a healthcare provider would order a class of medications known as statins, which are commonly prescribed to lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Statins inhibit the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a crucial role in the production of cholesterol in the liver. Specific statins that may be prescribed include Atorvastatin (Lipitor) and Rosuvastatin (Crestor). In certain cases, depending on the patient's overall health profile and triglyceride levels, other medications may be added or chosen instead, such as fibrates (if triglycerides are very high), niacin, ezetimibe, or bile acid sequestrants.