Why it's used

Atorvastatin is used to reduce the risk of heart diseases such as heart attack, chest pain and stroke. This medicine works by lowering the cholesterol and lipoprotein levels in the body. Atorvastatin is also used to reduce the high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor
Atorvastatin is a prescription medicine that belongs to a class of medicines called HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor. HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors are a class of lipid-lowering medications, effective at lowering high cholesterol levels. These medicines also reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke or developing angina.

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How to use

Follow directions on the product label, information guide, and provided by your doctor before using Atorvastatin. Eat this medicine as per your doctor's instructions.
Atorvastatin is eaten with or without food. Follow the low-fat diet while undergoing treatment with Atorvastatin. Avoid breaking Atorvastatin tablets before its use. Atorvastatin is eaten This medicine can be taken as a single dose at any time of the day.

Typical Dosage

The typical adult dose of Atorvastatin is 10 to 80 mg once daily. The typical dose for children is 10 mg/day. The maximum dose for adults of Atorvastatin is 80 mg once daily per day. Atorvastatin is typically used at the same time every day.
Atorvastatin is to be used for longer periods of time. You should continue to use this medicine as directed by the doctor even if you feel well.

Talk to Your Doctor

Tell your doctor if your condition persists. Talk to your doctor if muscle weakness, muscle pain, swelling of the face, swelling of the lips, swelling of the throat, difficulty in breathing, nausea, vomiting, dark-colored urine, stomach pain, and jaundice. Consult with your doctor before stopping the use of Atorvastatin.
To see the impact of Atorvastatin on the body, your doctor may recommend a lower initial dose. Please follow your doctor's instructions carefully. A lower dose of Atorvastatin may be recommended to reduce the risk of side-effects.

Use in Children

If you are giving Atorvastatin to a child, be sure to use a product that is meant for use in children. Before giving this medicine, use the child's weight or age to find the right dose from the leaflet or product package. You can also read the dosage section of this page to know the correct dose for your child. Else, consult with your doctor and follow their recommendation.

Limit Alcohol

Avoid grapefruit juice while using Atorvastatin. Excessive consumption of grapefruit juice increases the level of Atorvastatin in the blood. Limit drinking alcohol with Atorvastatin.

Lab Tests

Your doctor may require that certain tests be performed before using Atorvastatin. The doctor may ask you to have Alanine Transaminase Blood | Aspartate Aminotransferase | Alkaline Phosphatase | Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase | Bilirubin Blood test. Liver enzyme tests are required before starting the treatment with Atorvastatin. Patients are advised to report the symptoms of liver injury which includes fatigue, abnormally low body weight, stomach discomfort, dark-colored urine or jaundice. Your doctor may request Cholesterol test. This test is needed while the selection of an appropriate dose for Atorvastatin.

Storage

Store Atorvastatin at controlled room temperature 20-25°C (68-77°F), and away from light. Keep this medicine away from children and pets.
Medicines may be given for uses other than those listed in the medicine guide. Do not use Atorvastatin for symptoms for which it was not prescribed. Do not give Atorvastatin to others who may have similar symptoms as you. Self-medication can cause harm.

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How to take Atorvastatin

Your dose and how often you take Atorvastatin will depend on the following factors:
  • age
  • patient's health
  • the health of the patient's kidneys
  • medicines recommended by the doctor
  • any other medicines being used
  • herbal supplements in use
  • response to the medicine

Atorvastatin Dosage

Dosage for high levels of cholesterol in the blood

Adult
  • Recommended: 10-80 mg once daily as per patient needs such as the goal of therapy and drug response
  • Initial: 10-20 mg once daily

Dosage for high cholesterol levels genetic disorder

Adult
  • Initial: 10 mg/day
  • Maximum: 80 mg/day
Children (10-17 years)
  • Recommended: 10-20 mg orally once daily
  • Initial: 10 mg/day

Dosage for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Adult
  • Recommended: 10-80 mg daily

Dosage for prevention of heart diseases

Adult
  • Recommended: 10 mg/day

Minimum Age

10 years

Dosage calculation for children

To calculate the dosage for children please use the weight based dose calculator to calculate the appropriate dosage as per the weight of your child.

Forms

Tablet
Strength: 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, 80 mg

Missed Dose

A missed dose should be taken as soon as you remember it. However, if the time for the next dose is almost there, then the missed dose should be skipped, and the regular dosing schedule should be continued. Avoid taking a repeated dose to make up for a missed one.

Overdose

What to do if you overdose on Atorvastatin?
No specific antidote is available for an overdose of Atorvastatin. However, the treatment according to the symptoms should be given immediately. To reduce the harmful effects of an overdose of Atorvastatin liver function tests should be performed, and proper monitoring of creatinine kinase levels in the blood is required.
If you think you have overdosed on Atorvastatin, call a poison control center immediately. You can look up the poison control center information from the Poison Center Finder at TabletWise.com.

Precautions while using Atorvastatin

Before you use Atorvastatin, tell your doctor of your medical and health history including the following:
  • diabetes
  • high alcohol consumption
  • kidney problems
  • liver disease
  • muscle ache
  • muscle weakness
  • thyroid problem
Use of Atorvastatin in these medical conditions may cause serious side effects.
Before you use Atorvastatin, discuss with your doctor if you are allergic to it or its ingredients. Your doctor may prescribe an alternative medicine and update your medical records to record this information.
Before having surgery during the use of Atorvastatin, discuss with your doctor and dentist about the medicinal products you use including prescription/non-prescription/herbal medicines.

Seizures

Atorvastatin can make you feel sleepy. Be careful when using any machinery, driving a vehicle, or doing any other activity that needs you to be fully alert. The consumption of alcohol with Atorvastatin can worsen the sleepiness. Atorvastatin may cause rarely seizures in some people. If you perform any activities where a loss of consciousness may cause harm to you (or others), you should discuss with your doctor.

Use in Pregnancy

The use of Atorvastatin is known to be not safe for use in pregnant women. If you are planning to become pregnant or are currently pregnant, you should discuss with your doctor the potential impact of this medicine on the baby before you start to using it. The safety and effective data is not available for this medicine in pregnant women. No lipid-lowering drug is found to be beneficial during pregnancy.

Use while Breastfeeding

The use of Atorvastatin is not safe for use in women who are breastfeeding. If you are breastfeeding a baby, discuss with your doctor if you should either discontinue breastfeeding or stop using this medicine while breastfeeding. It is unknown if this medicine passes into breast milk. But few drugs of same drug class may pass into breast milk.

Use while Conceiving

It is not known if this medicine is safe for use in women who are conceiving. Consult with your doctor before you use Atorvastatin.

Alcohol

Limit drinking alcohol with Atorvastatin. Drinking alcohol may cause increased levels of Atorvastatin in blood.

Side-effects in Older Patients

Atorvastatin may cause increased incidence of side-effects in older patients. Elderly patients may see an increased risk of muscular weakness.

Long-term Use

Patients using Atorvastatin for a long time may acquire interstitial lung disease characterized by symptoms like shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, weight loss and fever.

What precautions should be taken during Pregnancy and Nursing, and administering Atorvastatin to Children or the Older Adults?

Pregnant Women

Contraindication
Warning: This medicine may cause potential side effects in the unborn baby.

Breastfeeding

Contraindication
Warning: This medicine may cause serious side effects while breastfeeding of infants.

Younger Adults Population

Possibly safe
Warning: Use of Atorvastatin has not been studied in children less than 10 years.

Older Adults Population

Precaution
Warning: Take necessary precautions while prescribing this medicine in elderly patients above 65 years.

Atorvastatin Side-effects

The following side-effects may commonly occur when using Atorvastatin. If any of these side-effects worsen or last for a long time, you should consult with your doctor:
The following side-effects may commonly occur in older patients on the use of Atorvastatin. Discuss with your doctor if any of these side-effects last for a long time or are severe:
Rarely, the use of Atorvastatin may cause the following side-effects:
The following severe side-effects may also occur when using Atorvastatin:
  • Life-threatening allergic reaction
  • Symptoms: shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, weight loss fever
    If these symptoms appear, discontinue the use of this medicine.
  • Inflammation of the pancreas
  • Low blood sugar levels
  • Eating disorder (anorexia)
  • Low levels of thrombocytes
  • Liver failure (possibly fatal)
    Discontinue the use of Atorvastatin in patients with liver failure.
  • Symptoms: increased blood glucose level
    In such case, the patients should be monitored carefully.
  • Life-threatening skin rashes (bullous rashes)
Your doctor has prescribed Atorvastatin because they judge that the benefit is greater than the risk posed by side-effects. Many people using this medicine do not have serious side-effects. This page does not list all possible side-effects of Atorvastatin.
If you experience side-effects or notice other side-effects not listed above, contact your doctor for medical advice. You may also report side-effects to your local food and drug administration authority. You can look up the drug authority contact information from the Drug Authority Finder at TabletWise.com.

Side-effects and Allergic Reactions of Atorvastatin by Severity and Frequency

Common Side-effects

Following are the common side-effects of this medicine:

Infrequent and Rare Side-effects

Following are the infrequent and rare side-effects of this medicine:

Severe Side-effects

Following are the severe side-effects of this medicine:

Side-effects in Older Adults

Following are the side-effects of this medicine in elderly patients:

Serious Allergic Reactions

Following are the symptoms of serious allergic reactions to this medicine:
  • swelling of lips
  • swelling of the face
  • swelling of throat
  • swelling of tongue
During the appearance of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.
If you experience side-effects or notice other side-effects not listed above, contact your doctor for medical advice. You may also report side-effects to your local food and drug administration authority. You can look up the drug authority contact information from the Drug Authority Finder at TabletWise.com.

Warnings

Galactose Intolerance or Lapp Lactase Deficiency

Avoid the use of this medicine in patients with family history of galactose intolerance or Lapp lactase deficiency.

Use of Atorvastatin in Diabetic Patients

The patients with fasting glucose levels in between 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L, body mass index more than 30kg/m2, high levels of triglycerides and high blood pressure conditions are at an increased risk when using this medicine. Careful monitoring is required in such patients.

Long-Term Therapy

The patients using Atorvastatin for the long term may be at increased risk. These patients may have an increased risk of interstitial lung disease which is characterized by symptoms like shortness of breath, cough, fever, weight loss and fatigue. If it happens, discontinue the use of this medicine.

Endocrine Dysfunctioning

These patients may have increased levels of glucose in the blood. This medicine should be used with caution in such patients.

Temporary Blockage of Blood Flow to the Brain

Such patients are at an increased risk when using this medicine. These patients may have an increased risk of bleeding inside the brain due to rupturing of blood vessels (hemorrhagic stroke). Take necessary precautions before starting this therapy.

Abnormal Functioning of the Liver

Such patients are at an increased risk when using this medicine. These patients may have increased levels of liver transaminases enzymes. This medicine should be used only after testing the levels of liver enzymes.

Skeletal Muscle Defects

Use of this medicine may lead to increased risk of muscle pain, inflammation of the muscles and damaging of skeletal muscles. Such patients may have an increased risk of kidney failure. Discontinue the use of Atorvastatin for the treatment of muscular diseases.

Interactions with Atorvastatin

When two or more medicines are taken together, it can change how the medicines work and increase the risk of side-effects. In medical terms, this is called as a Drug Interaction.
This page does not contain all the possible interactions of Atorvastatin. Share a list of all medicines that you use with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medicines without the approval of your doctor.

Antibiotics

Your doctor's guidelines may need to be followed while taking this medicine along with Antibiotics such as rifampin which is used to treat bacterial infections. Rifampin may lead to decreased levels of Atorvastatin in the blood.

Antilipemic Agents

Atorvastatin interacts with Antilipemic Agents such as gemfibrozil, which is used to decrease the amount of fats in body. Use of Atorvastatin may increase the risk of muscle weakness and damage to skeletal muscles in patients using gemfibrozil. Avoid the combined use of these medicines.

Immunosuppressants

There may be an interaction of Atorvastatin with Immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine, which is used to prevent organ rejection after transplantation. The absorption of Atorvastatin gets increased when used with cyclosporine. The combined use of Atorvastatin and cyclosporine should be avoided.

Antibiotics

Atorvastatin may interact with Antibiotics such as fusidic acid, which is used to treat skin infections. When Atorvastatin is used in combination with fusidic acid, may increase the risk of muscle pain and damage of skeletal muscles (rhabdomyolysis). Discontinue the use of Atorvastatin in patients receiving treatment of fusidic acid.

Vitamin B3

Special instructions need to be followed while taking this medicine along with Vitamin B3, which is used as supplement to treat vitamin B3 deficiency. The combined use of Atorvastatin and niacin may increase the risk of skeletal muscle defects. The dose of Atorvastatin should be lower when using in combination with niacin (vitamin B3).

Azole Antifungals

Your doctor's guidelines may need to be followed while taking this medicine along with Azole Antifungals such as itraconazole, which is used to treat fungal infections. Use of 40 mg Atorvastatin and 200 mg itraconazole, may increase the level of Atorvastatin in the blood. When the dose of Atorvastatin exceeds 20 mg, the patients should take necessary precautions while using itraconazole.

Anti-Gout Agents

Atorvastatin interacts with Anti-Gout Agents such as colchicine, which is used to treat pain, redness and swelling related to high levels of uric acid in the joints (gout). Use of Atorvastatin and colchicine may cause muscle problems such as damage to skeletal muscles (rhabdomyolysis). Take necessary precautions while using both medicines in combination.

Macrolide Antibiotics

Special instructions need to be followed while taking this medicine along with Macrolide Antibiotics such as clarithromycin, which is used as an antibiotic to treat bacterial infections. The use of Atorvastatin 80 mg with 500 mg of clarithromycin twice daily, may increase the level of Atorvastatin in the blood. Precaution should be taken while using Atorvastatin more than 20 mg.

Oral Contraceptives

There may be an interaction of Atorvastatin with Oral Contraceptives such as norethindrone and ethinyloestradiol, which are used to prevent pregnancy. When Atorvastatin is used with oral contraceptives, the levels of norethindrone and ethinyloestradiol gets increased in the blood. Take necessary precautions while selecting an oral contraceptive for a woman taking Atorvastatin.

Cardiac Glycosides

Atorvastatin may interact with Cardiac Glycosides such as digoxin, which is used to treat heart diseases. When multiple doses of Atorvastatin and digoxin are used together, the level of digoxin gets increased in the blood. The patients using this medicine should be monitored carefully.

Combination of Protease Inhibitors

Atorvastatin may interact with Combination of Protease inhibitors which are used to treat HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C. The absorption of Atorvastatin gets increased when used simultaneously with the combination of protease inhibitors such as tipranavir and ritonavir. Dose monitoring of Atorvastatin should not be required more than 40 mg in patients taking the hepatitis C protease inhibitors such as nelfinavir.

Antilipemic Agents

Atorvastatin interacts with Antilipemic Agents such as colestipol, which is used to lower blood cholesterol levels. When colestipol is used along with Atorvastatin, the levels of Atorvastatin and its active metabolites gets decreased.

Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs

There may be an interaction of Atorvastatin with Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs such as ezetimibe, which is used to lower the levels of cholesterol in the blood. Use of Atorvastatin with ezetimibe may cause skeletal muscle related problems. Proper monitoring is required while using both medicines in combination.

Interactions of Atorvastatin by Severity

Severe

The following medicines are usually not to be taken together without consulting with your doctor or pharmacist.

Moderate

The following medicines may interact when taken together and can increase your risk of harmful effects. Please consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking these medicines together.

When should Atorvastatin be not used?

Active Liver Disease

This medicine is not recommended in patients suffering from an active liver disease. Patients may see an increased level of liver transaminase enzyme.

Allergic to Atorvastatin

This medicine is not recommended in patients who are allergic to it and its inactive components. These patients may have the following symptoms if they use this medicine:
  • swelling of the face
  • swelling of the lips
  • swelling of throat
  • swelling of the tongue
  • difficulty in breathing
  • difficulty in swallowing

Use of Atorvastatin in Pregnant Women

This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women. Use of this medicine in pregnant women may cause congenital abnormalities in the fetus.

Women Who Are Breastfeeding The Infants

This medicine should not be used during breastfeeding as it may lead to severe side effects in infants.

Brands

Following are the top brand names of Atorvastatin in countries around the world:

Traveling With Medication

  • Ensure that you carry enough doses of each of your prescription medicines to last the entire trip. The best place to store your medicines is in the carry on baggage. However, while flying, if carrying liquid medicines, make sure you do not go over the limits imposed for carry-on liquids.
  • While traveling overseas, make sure that you can carry each of your prescription medicines legally to your destination country. One way to ensure this is by checking with your destination country's embassy or website.
  • Make sure that you carry each of your medicines in their original packaging, which should typically include your name and address, and the details of the prescribing doctor.
  • If your travel involves crossing time zones, and you are required to take your medicine as per a fixed schedule, make sure that you adjust for the change in time.

Expired Medication

Taking a single dose of expired Atorvastatin is unlikely to cause a side-effect. However, please discuss with your doctor or pharmacist, if you feel unwell or sick. An expired medicine may become ineffective in treating your prescribed conditions. To be on the safe side, it is important not to use an expired drug. You are much safer by always keeping a fresh supply of unexpired medicines.

Safe Disposal of Medication

  • If there are disposal instructions on the package, please follow the instructions.
  • If there are medicine take-back programs in your country, you should contact the respective authority to arrange for the disposal of the medicine. For example, in the USA, the Drug Enforcement Administration regularly hosts National Prescription Drug Take-Back events.
  • If there are no take-back programs, mix the medicine with dirt and place them in a sealed plastic bag. Throw the plastic bag in your household trash. Separately, remove all personal information including the prescription label from the medicine packaging and then dispose off the container.
  • If specifically indicated on the medicine package that it needs to be flushed down the toilet when no longer needed, perform the required step.
This page provides information for Atorvastatin .
Heart Diseases
Cholesterol
Chest Pain
Stroke

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