Description
What is atorvastatin?
Atorvastatin is a medication used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) levels to help prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks. Atorvastatin calcium belongs to a class of medications called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). Atorvastatin calcium works by slowing the production of cholesterol in the body to decrease the amount of cholesterol that may build up on the walls of the arteries and block blood flow to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body.
Atorvastatin is used together with diet, weight loss, and exercise to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke and to decrease the chance that heart surgery will be needed in people who have heart disease or who are at risk of developing heart disease.
Atorvastatin is also used to lower the amount of fatty substances such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (‘bad cholesterol’) and triglycerides in the blood and to increase the amount of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (‘good cholesterol’) in the blood.
Atorvastatin may also be used to decrease the amount of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood in children and teenagers 10 to 17 years of age who have familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia (an inherited condition in which cholesterol cannot be removed from the body normally).
Accumulation of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases blood flow and, therefore, the oxygen supply to your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. Lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats with atorvastatin has been shown to prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks.
Atorvastatin Dosing Information
Recommended Dosage in Adult Patients The recommended starting dosage of Lipitor is 10 mg to 20 mg once daily. The dosage range is 10 mg to 80 mg once daily. Patients who require a reduction in LDL-C greater than 45% may be started at 40 mg once daily.
Recommended Dosage in Pediatric Patients 10 Years of Age and Older with HeFH The recommended starting dosage of Lipitor is 10 mg once daily. The dosage range is 10 mg to 20 mg once daily.
Recommended Dosage in Pediatric Patients 10 Years of Age and Older with HoFH The recommended starting dosage of Lipitor is 10 mg to 20 mg once daily. The dosage range is 10 mg to 80 mg once daily.
Comments: Assess LDL-C when clinically appropriate, as early as 4 weeks after initiating Lipitor, and adjust the dosage if necessary.
This medicine is available in atorvastatin 10 mg tablets, atorvastatin 20 mg tablets, atorvastatin 40 mg tablets, and 80 mg tablets. The original brand name of atorvastatin was Lipitor, and now it is also available as a generic.
Atorvastatin calcium oral suspension is also available as the brand Aorvaliq (20 mg/5 ml).
