Remember that statins can lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke, and the risk of life-threatening side effects from statins is very low. However, researchers have found a “nocebo” effect when it comes to people thinking they have muscle pain from statins. A “nocebo” effect means people who have negative expectations about a medicine report experiencing the potential side effect at higher rates than the drug should cause.
These include things like your age, your cholesterol levels, and your risk for cardiovascular disease. If you have questions about the statin that is right for you, talk with your doctor. Some people may have an allergic reaction to atorvastatin oral tablets.
It is also crucial for the interprofessional team to emphasize the importance of lifestyle modification in treating hyperlipidemia. This includes eating a proper, healthy diet, adding exercise or activity several times a week, and losing weight if necessary. A dietician or nutritionist may be a valuable addition to the healthcare team to help guide patients through the necessary dietary changes. Rhabdomyolysis has been reported in patients using atorvastatin.[10] Patients with impaired renal function may be at increased risk of developing rhabdomyolysis. ATORVASTATIN (a TORE va sta tin) treats high cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Muscle problems may be more likely in older adults and those who have kidney problems, thyroid problems, or take certain other medicines. Atorvastatin is metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) to active ortho- and para-hydroxylated metabolites. Atorvastatin is binge drinking: what it does to your body highly plasma protein bound (over 98%) and has a volume of distribution of about 380 liters. Lipitor tablets should be stored at room temperature (68°F to 77°F/20°C to 25°C). Avoid storing this medication in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as bathrooms.
- Statins block an enzyme the liver needs to make cholesterol.
- For some people, atorvastatin may be prescribed along with a blood thinner.
- So even if you take it in the morning, it will still work just as well at night.
- Call 911 or your local emergency number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.
Your doctor may decide to prescribe a lower dosage of Lipitor or your other medication. Or they may prescribe you a different medication rather than Lipitor or the drugs listed above. At the end of the study, Lipitor effectively decreased people’s total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. People who took a placebo had increases in their total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels during the study.
You may have a higher risk for liver problems with atorvastatin if you drink more than two alcoholic drinks each day. Talk with your doctor about the safety of drinking alcohol while you’re taking atorvastatin. If you’re taking atorvastatin with other drugs, your doctor may lower your dose of atorvastatin in some cases.
What should be considered before taking atorvastatin oral tablet?
As these tissues break down, they are released into your body, and your kidneys filter them. These tissues are often too much for the kidneys to filter and can lead to kidney damage. Several types of medications are available to treat cholesterol problems and lower your risk for heart-related problems.
Atorvastatin also increases the number of LDL receptors on the surface of hepatic cells. This list does not contain all types of drugs that may interact with atorvastatin oral tablets. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about these interactions and any others that may occur with use of atorvastatin oral tablets. Always have your pharmacist run a drug interaction screen any time to start or stop a new medication. Very rarely, statins can cause life-threatening muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis (rab-doe-my-OL-ih-sis). Rhabdomyolysis can cause extreme muscle pain, liver damage, kidney failure and death.
If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your treatment options.
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They will order certain lab tests to check and see if you have a UTI. If you’re concerned about diarrhea or dehydration with atorvastatin, tell your doctor. If you have diarrhea with this drug, watch for symptoms of dehydration. These can include making less urine than usual or having dry mouth or dizziness. Atorvastatin’s classification is an HMG Co-A reductase inhibitor, which is also called a statin. If a side effect does occur, your doctor might lower your dose to see if the side effect will subside, or switch you to another statin.
This can include setting an alarm on your phone or downloading a reminder app. Lipitor is approved for use in children ages 10 years and older who have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). If you have questions about weight gain while taking Lipitor, talk with your doctor. If you think you’re having cognitive issues while taking Lipitor, talk with your doctor. Memory-loss problems usually go away after stopping the drug.
Dosage for lowering cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular problems
Ending your Lipitor treatment should not cause any side effects. But if you stop taking Lipitor and do not replace it with a different treatment, alcohol use disorder diagnosis and treatment your cholesterol may increase again. Because Lipitor treats high cholesterol, it may actually help reduce symptoms of erectile dysfunction (ED).
Most of the drugs in the statin class are now available generically and are much more affordable. While prices differ between cities and pharmacies, atorvastatin usually costs about $10 to $20 for a month supply using an online coupon. Insurance will most likely pay for atorvastatin, after your copay. It does this by blocking an enzyme known as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase in the liver.