How does Lipitor work to lower cholesterol. What are the common side effects of atorvastatin. When should you take Lipitor and what precautions should be considered. How does Lipitor interact with other medications and substances.

Understanding Lipitor: A Powerful Cholesterol-Lowering Medication

Lipitor, also known by its generic name atorvastatin, is a widely prescribed medication belonging to the statin class of drugs. It’s primarily used to manage cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. But how exactly does Lipitor work?

Atorvastatin functions by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a crucial role in cholesterol production in the liver. By reducing the amount of cholesterol manufactured by the body, Lipitor effectively lowers “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides while simultaneously increasing “good” cholesterol (HDL) levels in the blood.

This dual action of Lipitor makes it a potent tool in the fight against heart disease, helping to prevent strokes and heart attacks in at-risk individuals. However, it’s important to note that Lipitor is most effective when used in conjunction with lifestyle modifications such as a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Dosage and Administration: Navigating the Proper Use of Lipitor

Proper administration of Lipitor is crucial for achieving optimal results. How should you take this medication? Lipitor is typically taken orally once daily, with or without food, as directed by your healthcare provider. The standard dosage is often 20mg, but this can vary based on individual factors such as medical condition, response to treatment, age, and concurrent medications.

Is timing important when taking Lipitor? While consistency is key, the specific time of day you take Lipitor is less critical. The most important factor is taking it at the same time each day to maintain steady levels in your system. Some patients prefer taking it in the evening, as the body produces most cholesterol at night.

Can you adjust your Lipitor dosage on your own? It’s crucial to follow your doctor’s instructions precisely and never alter your dosage without medical supervision. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it’s close to the time for your next dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and resume your regular schedule.

Special Considerations for Lipitor Administration

• Avoid consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking Lipitor, as it can increase the risk of side effects
• If you’re also taking bile acid-binding resins, take Lipitor at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after these medications
• Continue taking Lipitor even if you feel well, as high cholesterol often has no symptoms
• It may take up to 4 weeks to experience the full benefits of the medication

Potential Side Effects: What to Watch for When Taking Lipitor

While Lipitor is generally well-tolerated, it’s important to be aware of potential side effects. What are the most common side effects of atorvastatin? Many people experience mild side effects that often subside as the body adjusts to the medication. These can include:

• Headache
• Muscle pain or weakness
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Sleep disturbances

However, there are some more serious side effects that, while rare, require immediate medical attention. These include:

1. Unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if accompanied by fever or unusual tiredness
2. Signs of liver problems such as persistent nausea/vomiting, yellowing of eyes/skin, dark urine, or abdominal pain
3. Memory problems or confusion
4. Signs of kidney problems, including changes in urination patterns

Are there any long-term risks associated with Lipitor use? Some studies have suggested a slightly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes with long-term statin use. However, for most people, the cardiovascular benefits of Lipitor far outweigh this small risk. Your doctor will monitor you closely and adjust your treatment if necessary.

Drug Interactions: Understanding How Lipitor Interacts with Other Substances

Lipitor can interact with various medications and substances, potentially altering its effectiveness or increasing the risk of side effects. What are some key interactions to be aware of?

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice are well-known to interact with Lipitor. They can increase the concentration of the drug in your bloodstream, potentially leading to an increased risk of side effects. It’s best to avoid grapefruit products altogether while taking Lipitor.

Certain medications can also interact with Lipitor:

• Other cholesterol-lowering drugs, particularly fibrates like gemfibrozil
• Some antibiotics, such as clarithromycin and erythromycin
• Antifungal medications like itraconazole and ketoconazole
• HIV protease inhibitors
• Certain heart medications, including digoxin and diltiazem

Always inform your healthcare provider about all medications, supplements, and herbal products you’re taking to avoid potential interactions.

Precautions and Contraindications: Who Should Exercise Caution with Lipitor?

While Lipitor is safe for most people, certain individuals should exercise caution or avoid the medication altogether. Who falls into these categories?

Lipitor is contraindicated in:

• Individuals with active liver disease
• Pregnant women or those planning to become pregnant
• Breastfeeding mothers
• People with a known allergy to atorvastatin or any of its ingredients

Certain groups should use Lipitor with caution and under close medical supervision:

1. Elderly patients, who may be more sensitive to side effects
2. Individuals with kidney disease
3. People with a history of liver problems
4. Those who consume large amounts of alcohol
5. Patients with hypothyroidism

Is it safe to drink alcohol while taking Lipitor? While occasional light drinking is generally considered safe, regular or heavy alcohol consumption can increase the risk of liver problems when combined with Lipitor. It’s best to discuss your alcohol use with your healthcare provider.

Lipitor and Lifestyle: Maximizing the Benefits of Your Medication

While Lipitor is a powerful tool in managing cholesterol levels, it’s most effective when combined with healthy lifestyle choices. How can you maximize the benefits of your Lipitor treatment?

Diet plays a crucial role in cholesterol management. A heart-healthy diet should include:

• Plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Lean proteins such as fish, poultry, and legumes
• Healthy fats from sources like olive oil, nuts, and avocados
• Limited saturated and trans fats
• Reduced intake of added sugars and processed foods

Regular physical activity is another key component of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week.

Other lifestyle factors that can enhance the effectiveness of Lipitor include:

1. Maintaining a healthy weight
2. Quitting smoking
3. Managing stress through techniques like meditation or yoga
4. Getting adequate sleep
5. Limiting alcohol consumption

Remember, Lipitor is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle but rather a complement to it. By combining medication with positive lifestyle changes, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health.

Monitoring and Follow-up: Ensuring Safe and Effective Lipitor Use

Regular monitoring is essential when taking Lipitor to ensure its effectiveness and detect any potential issues early. What does this monitoring typically involve?

Your healthcare provider will likely order periodic blood tests to check your cholesterol levels and liver function. These tests help assess how well Lipitor is working and detect any potential liver problems. The frequency of these tests may vary, but they’re often done before starting treatment, after about 6-12 weeks, and then periodically thereafter.

In addition to blood tests, your doctor may also monitor:

• Your blood pressure
• Any symptoms you’re experiencing
• Your overall cardiovascular risk
• Your adherence to the prescribed treatment plan

How often should you see your doctor for follow-up when taking Lipitor? This can vary based on individual factors, but typically, after the initial adjustment period, follow-up visits might be scheduled every 3-6 months. However, if you experience any concerning symptoms or side effects, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

It’s crucial to keep all scheduled appointments and be honest about any side effects or concerns you have. This allows your healthcare team to adjust your treatment as needed, ensuring you receive the maximum benefit from Lipitor while minimizing any potential risks.

Self-monitoring While on Lipitor

While regular medical check-ups are essential, self-monitoring also plays a vital role in ensuring safe and effective Lipitor use. Here are some aspects you can monitor at home:

1. Any changes in your energy levels or muscle strength
2. Unexplained pain or discomfort, especially in the muscles
3. Changes in your urine color or output
4. Any skin or eye color changes
5. Your ability to adhere to the prescribed medication schedule

By staying vigilant and communicating openly with your healthcare provider, you can help ensure that your Lipitor treatment remains safe and effective over the long term.

Lipitor Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing

Uses

Atorvastatin is used along with a proper diet to help lower “bad” cholesterol and fats (such as LDL, triglycerides) and raise “good” cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. It belongs to a group of drugs known as “statins.” It works by reducing the amount of cholesterol made by the liver. Lowering “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides and raising “good” cholesterol decreases the risk of heart disease and helps prevent strokes and heart attacks.In addition to eating a proper diet (such as a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet), other lifestyle changes that may help this medication work better include exercising, losing weight if overweight, and stopping smoking. Consult your doctor for more details.

How to use Lipitor

Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start taking atorvastatin and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually once daily.

The dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and other medications you may be taking. Be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).

Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while using this medication unless your doctor or pharmacist says you may do so safely. Grapefruit can increase the chance of side effects with this medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

If you also take certain other drugs to lower your cholesterol (bile acid-binding resins such as cholestyramine or colestipol), take atorvastatin at least 1 hour before or at least 4 hours after taking these medications. These products can react with atorvastatin, preventing its full absorption.

Take this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to take it at the same time each day. Keep taking this medication even if you feel well. Most people with high cholesterol or triglycerides do not feel sick.

It is very important to continue to follow your doctor’s advice about diet and exercise. It may take up to 4 weeks before you get the full benefit of this drug.

Side Effects

Remember that this medication has been prescribed because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

A very small number of people taking atorvastatin may have mild memory problems or confusion. If these rare effects occur, talk to your doctor.

Rarely, statins may cause or worsen diabetes. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks.

This drug may rarely cause muscle problems (which can rarely lead to very serious conditions called rhabdomyolysis and autoimmune myopathy). Tell your doctor right away if you develop any of these symptoms during treatment and if these symptoms last after your doctor stops this drug: muscle pain/tenderness/weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness), signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of urine).

This medication may rarely cause liver problems. Tell your doctor right away if you develop symptoms of liver problems, including: nausea/vomiting that doesn’t stop, yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, stomach/abdominal pain.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In the US – Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

In Canada – Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Precautions

Before taking atorvastatin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: liver disease, kidney disease, alcohol use.

Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).

Limit alcoholic beverages. Daily use of alcohol may increase your risk for liver problems, especially when combined with atorvastatin. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially muscle problems.

During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. It may harm an unborn baby. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk. Because of the possible risk to the infant, breast-feeding while using this drug is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Interactions

See also How to Use section.

Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval.

Some products that may interact with this drug include: daptomycin, gemfibrozil.

Other medications can affect the removal of atorvastatin from your body, which may affect how atorvastatin works. Examples include glecaprevir plus pibrentasvir, telithromycin, ritonavir, among others.

Do not take any red yeast rice products while you are taking atorvastatin because some red yeast rice products may also contain a statin called lovastatin. Taking atorvastatin and red yeast rice products together can increase your risk of serious muscle and liver problems.

Does Lipitor interact with other drugs you are taking?

Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker

Overdose

If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.

Do not share this medication with others.

Lab and/or medical tests (such as blood cholesterol/triglyceride levels, liver function) should be done while you are taking this medication. Keep all medical and lab appointments. Consult your doctor for more details.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.

Images

Lipitor 80 mg tablet

Color: whiteShape: ellipticalImprint: PD 158 80

This medicine is a white, elliptical, film-coated, tablet imprinted with “PD 158” and “80”.

Lipitor 20 mg tablet

Color: whiteShape: ellipticalImprint: PD 156 20

This medicine is a white, elliptical, film-coated, tablet imprinted with “PD 158” and “80”.

Lipitor 10 mg tablet

Color: whiteShape: ellipticalImprint: PD 155 10

This medicine is a white, elliptical, film-coated, tablet imprinted with “PD 158” and “80”.

Lipitor 40 mg tablet

Color: whiteShape: ellipticalImprint: 40 PD 157

This medicine is a white, elliptical, film-coated, tablet imprinted with “PD 158” and “80”.

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Drug Survey

Are you currently using Lipitor?

This survey is being conducted by the WebMD marketing sciences department.

Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.

CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.

Taking atorvastatin with other medicines and herbal supplements

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines can affect the way atorvastatin works and can increase the chances of you having serious side effects, such as muscle damage.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• antibiotics such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, rifampicin or fusidic acid
• antifungals such as ketoconazole, voriconazole or fluconazole
• some HIV medicines
• some hepatitis C medicines
• warfarin, a medicine to help prevent blood clots
• ciclosporin, a medicine for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis
• colchicine, a medicine for gout
• contraceptive pills, such as the combined pill
• verapamil, diltiazem or amlodipine, medicines for high blood pressure and heart problems
• amiodarone, a medicine that helps if you have an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)

If you’re taking atorvastatin and need to take one of these medicines, your doctor may:

• prescribe a lower dose of atorvastatin
• prescribe a different statin medicine
• recommend that you stop taking atorvastatin for a while

These are not all the medicines that can affect the way atorvastatin works. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicine packet or check with your pharmacist.

Mixing atorvastatin with herbal remedies and supplements

St John’s wort, a herbal remedy taken for depression, reduces the amount of atorvastatin in your blood, so it does not work as well.

Talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about starting St John’s wort, as it will change how well atorvastatin works.

Sometimes, people take a supplement called CoQ10 with statins. There’s no clear evidence that taking it at the same time as atorvastatin benefits your health.

If you decide to take a CoQ10 supplement, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Supplements can affect the way other medicines you’re taking work.

There’s not enough information to say that other herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with atorvastatin. They’re not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines.

Important:
Medicine safety

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.

Page last reviewed: 7 March 2022

Next review due: 7 March 2025

Lipitor: what is it – AMO Academy News

Reading time:

Lipitor is a drug that lowers blood cholesterol levels. It belongs to the 3rd generation lipid-lowering drugs, the group is statins. It is often prescribed to patients suffering from cardiovascular pathologies.

How does Lipitor work?

The active ingredient of the drug is atorvastatin. Thanks to him, lipoproteins, cholesterol and other types of fats are reduced in the bloodstream, which reduces the symptoms of atherosclerosis. The drug inhibits the activity of HMG-COA reductase. As a result, low-density lipoproteins begin to be intensively catabolized, which helps to reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol.

Release form and admission rules

Lipitor is available in tablets for oral administration. You can consume them regardless of food intake at the recommended dosage of 10 mg per day. The dosage is prescribed by the doctor, in some cases it may be increased.

Indications for use and effectiveness of Lipitor

He is appointed:

• for diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• for hereditary hypercholesterolemia as part of complex treatment;
• for the prevention of myocardial infarction.

The effectiveness of Lipitor has been confirmed by clinical studies. In patients participating in the studies, after regular use of the drug, there was a significant reduction in complications from the heart and blood vessels in the post-infarction period. The number of angina attacks also decreased.

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How we are treated: Atoris.

Live in pain or die young?

Medicine

23:12, 07 February 2019

Is atorvastatin effective in the fight against atherosclerosis

drug, than it is better and worse than others statins, whether it helps the liver and whether it saves from Alzheimer’s disease, says Indicator.Ru.

A drug for a rare disease that became the best-selling drug in the US in 2003 in history – Atoris (aka Lipitor), which lowers blood cholesterol, boasts such a past. But does it reduce mortality and should healthy patients take statins? First, let’s figure out what it is.

From what, from what

The name of the drug Atoris comes from the main active ingredient, atorvastatin. Unlike many other statins, atorvastatin was made entirely synthetically. Its creator, Bruce Roth, barely convinced Warner-Lambert executives that his “CI 9 compound81 will not be the “orphan drug” that was originally thought to be lovastatin, which was already on the market, and simvastatin, which is in the final stages of testing at Merck & Co. “Orphans” (from the English orphan) were called drugs for rare orphan diseases, one of which is familial hypercholesterolemia, which causes high blood cholesterol, and it was the study of this disease that led to the invention of statins.

You can learn how to understand medicines on your own in the author’s online course “How they treat us” from the editor of Indicator.Ru Ekaterina Mishchenko: https://clck.ru/Pnmtk

However, costly clinical trials have paid off: in early trials, atorvastatin lowered blood cholesterol more than simvastatin and had fewer side effects. Further, the medicine was waiting for solid triumphs. Statins proved to be suitable for the fight against atherosclerosis, for the study of the mechanisms of which in 1985, the year of the discovery of atorvastatin, Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein received the Nobel Prize. And when Pfizer bought Warner-Lambert, sales of Lipitor (an atorvastatin drug) skyrocketed. Atorvastatin was the top three best-selling drug in the US more than once and provided a quarter of Pfizer’s revenue for several years before the patent expired in 2011.

Like other statins, atorvastatin inhibits the action of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (abbreviated as HMG-CoA reductase). This enzyme is so named because it reduces 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A to mevalonic acid, from which the mevalonate pathway begins – a long route for the synthesis of steroids, which include cholesterol. In addition, mevalonic acid is a precursor to terpenes, the main component of resins and essential oils (but that’s a completely different story).

“Miracle”, “Evidence” and other studies

We have already talked about how cholesterol can be necessary for the body and at the same time accelerate the development of atherosclerosis in an article about Crestor, another drug from the statin group. Atherosclerosis occurs due to a complex set of causes that medicine is not yet able to eliminate. But by preventing the synthesis of cholesterol, which is part of atherosclerotic plaques, statins do not allow atherosclerosis to progress. In the famous Scandinavian study 1994 years (known as The Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study, or 4S), conducted on 4444 patients, scientists found that statins (in this case, simvastatin) also drastically lowered the risk of heart attack. But this work was funded by the Merck Corporation, which was interested in a positive result.

A few years later, the results of the MIRACL (Myocardial Ischemia Reduction with Cholesterol Lowering) study were published, which for the first time confirmed the safety of early administration of atorvastatin to patients (there were 3086 in total) with acute coronary syndrome in the first 96 hours of exacerbation. The study also showed that the drug does not allow angina to progress. In another clinical trial, PROVE-IT, high-dose atorvastatin was more effective in lowering the cholesterol levels of pravastatin at standard doses in patients 10 days post-hospital with acute coronary syndrome.

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled method is a method of clinical drug research in which subjects are not privy to important details of the study being conducted. “Double-blind” means that neither the subjects nor the experimenters know who is being treated with what, “randomized” means that the distribution into groups is random, and placebo is used to show that the effect of the drug is not based on autosuggestion and that this medicine helps better than a tablet without active substance. This method prevents subjective distortion of the results. Sometimes the control group is given another drug with already proven efficacy, rather than a placebo, to show that the drug not only treats better than nothing, but also outperforms analogues.

Indicator.Ru

Help

The small (180 patients) study ESTABLISH (Early Statin Treatment in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome) confirmed the benefits of long-term treatment with atorvastatin for patients with acute coronary syndrome. It turned out that if you start using the drug immediately after hospitalization, after six months it reduces the volume of atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries that feed the heart.

However, the authors of a study published in 2013 questioned the safety of statins, suggesting they increase the risk of heart attack. But later work did not confirm this conclusion. On the contrary, according to a report at the European Conference on Cardiovascular Imaging, the use of satins reduced the mass and volume of the ventricles of the patients’ hearts. But left ventricular hypertrophy is a change that increases the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes. In other words, statins are useful for those who are already at risk, although the need for their prophylactic use in healthy people is questionable.

Liver and Alzheimer’s

As a very widely used drug, atorvastatin has been tested in numerous clinical trials, including for more unusual indications than cardiovascular disease, but associated with disorders of lipid metabolism. For example, one Cochrane review reports on studies of atorvastatins in steatohepatitis, but there is too little information to recommend it in general clinical practice.

The Cochrane Library is a database of the Cochrane Collaboration, an international non-profit organization involved in the development of World Health Organization guidelines. The name of the organization comes from the name of its founder, the 20th-century Scottish medical scientist Archibald Cochrane, who championed the need for evidence-based medicine and the conduct of competent clinical trials and wrote the book Efficiency and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Public Health. Medical scientists and pharmacists consider the Cochrane Database one of the most authoritative sources of such information: the publications included in it have been selected according to the standards of evidence-based medicine and report the results of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

Indicator.Ru

Help

There is no evidence that atorvastatin can be useful in multiple sclerosis. In Alzheimer’s disease and senile dementia, the effectiveness of statins is completely refuted.

Another Cochrane review does not support statins for PCOS.

But diseases of the circulatory system for atorvastatin (as well as for statins in general) are a true specialization. Despite this, another Cochrane review concludes that statins have not yet been proven to have any effect on outcomes of vascular surgery. However, there is still hope here: in a small study, which we described in the article on coronary artery bypass grafting, it was found that statins reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation (inconsistent electrical activity) after coronary artery surgery.

But in people with ischemic stroke, atorvastatin reduces the likelihood of recurrent cardiovascular events (although the risk of recurrent stroke is reduced slightly). But it is not known whether the therapy bears fruit in hemorrhagic stroke.

Some studies have gone even further, endorsing the use of statins in children as young as eight years of age if they have elevated cholesterol levels.

About side effects

There is no consensus about the side effects of statins. An article in the journal Metabolism explains their appearance by blocking the production of coenzyme Q10, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and is involved in the work of muscle cells, along with the synthesis of cholesterol. .

A meta-analysis from the Cochrane Collaboration shows that healthy people who take statins for prevention (at least in clinical trials) have virtually no side effects compared to placebo.

However, in clinical practice, complaints of side effects (muscle pain, liver damage) are not uncommon. A review in the journal Clinical Therapeutics states that statins cause 39% more side effects than placebo, but there are no serious effects within this difference. A systematic review in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, co-authored by Ben Goldacre of the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford, suggests that only a small proportion of the effects are due to the drug itself in this case. So patients at risk may feel unwell due to problems with the cardiovascular system or taking other drugs.

That being said, according to a comparative analysis of 135 studies, statins do increase the risk of diabetes, cause muscle pain and may be harmful to the liver, but these risks are still quite low. And here, atorvastatin was on a par with other statins, and pravastatin and simvastatin caused the least side effects. And while it appears that statin-related muscle pain may be underestimated in clinical studies, serious damage to muscle fibers occurs in 1-2 people per 10,000 person-years of drug use, concludes a systematic review in The Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

Less serious consequences, which are warned about by the instructions (nausea, digestive problems, loose stools, muscle and joint pain) are much more common – in 1-10% of patients. Also, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2014 reported forgetfulness and distraction when taking statins, but these problems stopped after patients refused the drug.

With regard to recommendations for HIV-positive patients and people taking hemofibrozil, atorvastatin may be a less dangerous option than other statins, as patients in these groups are at increased risk of side effects.

Indicator.Ru recommends: use at increased risk of heart attack and stroke

Atoris really slows down the development of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases that increase the likelihood of heart attack and stroke. Its active substance belongs to fairly strong statins and is effective in different dosages: when taken 10 mg per day, it reduces blood cholesterol levels by 27%, and 80 mg per day – by 37.9%, another Cochrane review reports.

Although the side effects of statins are unpleasant, and you can’t expect a bright improvement and a complete cure from them, you should not stop taking them without your doctor’s permission. But in reality, the choice is not so harsh: according to statistics, health-threatening events (for example, the development of diabetes, serious damage to the liver or muscles) are considered very rare, and more frequent symptoms, such as muscle pain or nausea, are not dangerous. Despite this, while some patients use statins for prevention while being healthy (this is especially common in the US and Europe), others drop out of therapy that could prolong their life for years.

The truth is somewhere in the middle: the benefit of the drug to healthy people remains in question, although it is unlikely that statins cause significant harm to them. However, there is hope for the benefits of prevention: A 2013 Cochrane review shows that statins help prevent cardiovascular complications in an average of 18 patients out of 1000 who initially had hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol. Therefore, in the case of statins, everything depends on the condition of the patient.

Of course, we should not forget about a healthy lifestyle: sometimes it is enough to stop eating fatty foods to lower blood cholesterol levels to normal levels without the help of drugs. And even with medication, eating healthy won’t hurt you either.

Our recommendation is not the same as a doctor’s prescription.