What is atorvastatin?

Atorvastatin belongs to the group of drugs that reduce cholesterol, with the main effect of lowering cholesterol in the liver by inhibiting an cholesterol-producing enzyme, HMGCoA reductase.

The effect of atorvastatin drug

Atorvastatin is taken with an appropriate diet to help lower cholesterol and harmful fats (such as LDL, triglycerides) and increase good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. The drug belongs to statin group. It works by reducing the amount of cholesterol produced in the liver. Reducing the amount of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, increasing the amount of good cholesterol helps you reduce your risk of heart disease and helps prevent strokes and heart attacks.

In addition to having a proper diet (such as a low-fat / low-cholesterol diet), lifestyle changes can also help this medication work better, plus you should exercise. , lose weight if overweight, and stop smoking. Consult your doctor for more details.

Instructions for use of atorvastatin drug

Take it with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually once a day.

Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medication.

The dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and other medications you may be taking. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all products you use (including prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal products).

Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medication, unless directed by your doctor. Grapefruit can increase blood levels of drugs. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

If you also take other medications to lower cholesterol (cholestyramine or colestipol), take Atorvastatin at least 1 hour before or at least 4 hours after taking these medications. These products may interact with Atorvastatin, blocking the absorption of the drug.

Use this medication regularly to promote maximum effectiveness. Remember to take the medication at the same time each day. Keep taking this medication even if you feel better. Most people with lipid disorders or triglycerides do not feel sick.

Follow your doctor's advice about diet and exercise. It may take up to 4 weeks before this medication is fully effective.

How to preserve atorvastatin drug

Store at room temperature, away from moisture, away from light. Do not store in the bathroom. Do not store in the freezer. Each medication may have different storage methods. Read the directions on the packaging carefully, or ask your pharmacist. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Do not throw medication into the toilet or water line unless required. Dispose of properly when the medicine is out of date or cannot be used. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your medicine.

Dosage

Dosage for adults

Usual Adult Dose for Cardiovascular Prevention: Initial dose: 10 mg to 80 mg orally once daily.

Usual Adult Dose for Fatty Bloods: Initial dose: 10, 20 or 40 mg orally once a day. The initial dose of 40 mg is for patients who need to reduce LDL-cholesterol by more than 45%.

Dosage for children

Usual pediatric dose for inherited hypercholesterolemia

10-17 years old:

10 mg daily (maximum dose of 20 mg daily) Dosage adjustments should be made after approximately 4 weeks or more.

The form of the drug Atorvastatin

Tablets, oral drug: 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, 80 mg.

Side effects

Call emergency if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: rash; shortness of breath; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop taking atorvastatin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

1. Unexplained pain, fatigue, or muscle weakness;
2. Confusion, memory problems;
3. Unusual fever, fatigue, and dark urine;
4. Swelling, weight gain, urinating less than usual or anuria;
5. Thirst, excessive urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision, weight loss;
6. Nausea, epigastric pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

1. Mild muscle pain;
2. Diarrhea;
3. Mild nausea.

Not everyone exhibits the above side effects. There may be other side effects not mentioned. If you have any questions about side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Note before use

Before taking atorvastatin, you should:

1. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to atorvastatin, any other medications, or any ingredients in atorvastatin tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of active ingredients.
2. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Especially the following drugs: antifungal drugs such as itraconazole (Sporanox) and ketoconazole (Nizoral); boceprevir (Victrelis); cimetidine (Tagamet); clarithromycin (Biaxin); medicine containing cobicistat (Stribild); colchicine (Colcrys); digoxin (Lanoxin); efavirenz (Sustiva, in Atripla); oral contraceptives; other blood lipid disorders such as fenofibrate (Tricor), gemfibrozil (Lopid), and niacin (nicotinic acid, Niacor, Niaspan); some HIV protease inhibitors such as darunavir (Prezista), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), lopinavir (in Kaletra), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), saquinavir (Invirase), and tipranavir (Aptivus); immunosuppressant drugs such as cyclosporin (Neoral, Sandimmune); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); spironolactone (Aldactone); and telaprevir (Incivek). Your doctor may need to change your medication dose or monitor you carefully for side effects. Other drugs may also interact with atorvastatin, so be sure to tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
3. Tell your doctor if you have liver disease. Your doctor will test your liver even if you think you do not have liver disease. Your doctor may not give you atorvastatin if you have or have had liver disease or if tests show that you may have liver disease.
4. Tell your doctor if you drink more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day, if you are 65 years or older, if you have ever had liver disease, and if you have or have ever had muscle pain or muscle weakness; diabetes, epilepsy, low blood pressure, thyroid disease or kidney disease.
5. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. You should not become pregnant while you are taking atorvastatin. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that you can use during your treatment. If you become pregnant while taking atorvastatin, stop taking atorvastatin and call your doctor right away. Atorvastatin may harm an unborn baby.
6. Do not breast-feed while you are taking this medication.
7. If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist you are taking atorvastatin. If you are hospitalized due to a serious injury or infection, tell your doctor that you are taking atorvastatin.
8. Ask your doctor about safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are taking atorvastatin. Alcohol can increase the risk of serious side effects.

Things to keep in mind if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

There are still not enough studies to determine the risk of using this medication during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Before taking medication, always consult your doctor to weigh the benefits and risks. This medicine is in the X category for pregnancy.

Note: Classification of drugs for pregnant women:

A = No risk;

B = No risk in some studies;

C = There may be a risk;

D = There is evidence of risk;

X = Contraindicated;

N = Unknown.

Certain medicines should not be taken with meals or at the same time as certain foods because of the possible interaction. Alcohol and tobacco may also interact with certain drugs. Consult your health professional about taking medication with food, alcohol and tobacco.

How can a condition affect atorvastatin?

Your medical condition may affect the use of this medicine. Tell your doctor if you have any health problems, especially:

1. Alcohol abuse or history of alcohol abuse;
2. Diabetes;
3. Hypothyroidism
4. Liver disease or history - Use with caution. May cause worse side effects;
5. Uncontrolled convulsions;
6. Severe electrolyte disorders;
7. Severe endocrine disorders;
8. Hypotension (low blood pressure);
9. Severe kidney disease;
10. Severe metabolic disorders;
11. Sepsis (severe infection) –If you have these conditions, you may be at risk of kidney and muscle diseases;
12. Liver failure;
13. High liver enzymes - should not be used if you have these conditions;
14. Recent stroke;
15. Recent transient ischemic attack - Atorvastatin may increase your risk of stroke if you have this condition.

In case of emergency or overdose, call 911 immediately or go to the nearest local health station.

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the scheduled time. Do not take twice the prescribed dose.

Note: Information about medicines, proprietary medicines posted in the Family medicine cabinet section on Khoahoc.tv website is for reference only. Please consult with your doctor before deciding to treat any medicine to bring good effect and safety for your health.

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