How Long Does It Take Lipitor To Work
Lipitor is absorbed within one to two hours after a dose. Eating food during this time can decrease the absorption of Lipitor, but this does not have any clinical impact. The amount of time it takes to absorb Lipitor does not impact how long it takes to have its clinical effects. In fact, according to Pfizer, the manufacturer of Lipitor, a patient should not expect cholesterol and triglyceride levels to begin decreasing until two weeks after starting treatment.
What Other Information Should I Know
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests during your treatment , especially if you develop symptoms of liver damage.
Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking atorvastatin.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
Important Information About All Medicines
|
Never take more than the prescribed dose. If you suspect that you or someone else might have taken an overdose of this medicine, go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital. Take the container with you, even if it is empty. This medicine is for you. Never give it to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours. If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take with your other medicines. If you are having an operation or dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking. Do not keep out-of-date or unwanted medicines. Take them to your local pharmacy which will dispose of them for you. If you have any questions about this medicine ask your pharmacist. |
Also Check: Is Shrimp Bad For Your Cholesterol
Are Statins Really Worth Taking For High Cholesterol
Apple Podcasts | | Stitcher | Spotify
Research has shown that statins are highly effective in reducing the risk of fatal heart attack and stroke. But some people are reluctant to take these life-saving drugs. They worry about taking medicine every day for the rest of their life or have heard that statins have undesirable side effects. What does science have to say about these concerns and others surrounding statins? We talked to UH interventional cardiologist Ian Neeland, MD, Director of the Center of Cardiovascular Prevention at University Hospitals, to learn more.
When You Need Themand When You Dont
Your body makes a waxy substance called cholesterol. You also get it from food. Your body needs it, but too much cholesterol in your blood can clog your arteries. This increases your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and death.
Statins are drugs that lower your cholesterol. But if you are age 75 or older and you havent had symptoms of heart disease, statins may be a bad idea. Heres why:
Adults age 75 and older may not need statins.
Many older adults have high cholesterol. Their doctors usually prescribe statins to prevent heart disease.
But for older people, there is no clear evidence that high cholesterol leads to heart disease or death. In fact, some studies show the oppositethat older people with the lowest cholesterol levels actually have the highest risk of death.
Statins have risks.
Compared to younger adults, older adults are more likely to suffer serious side effects from using statins.
Statins can cause muscle problems, such as aches, pains, or weakness. Rarely, there can be a severe form of muscle breakdown.
In older adults, statins can also cause:
- Falls
- Memory loss and confusion
- Nausea, constipation, or diarrhea.
Often, older adults take many drugs. These can interact with statins and lead to serious problems. Side effects, like muscle pain, may increase. Statins can also cause a fatal reaction when taken with heart-rhythm drugs.
Statins may increase the risk of type-2 diabetes and cataracts, as well as damage to the liver, kidneys, and nerves.
04/2014
Also Check: Feta Cholesterol
How And When To Take It
Take atorvastatin once a day. You can choose to take it at any time, as long as you stick to the same time every day.
Sometimes doctors may recommend taking it in the evening. This is because your body makes most cholesterol at night. If you’re not sure when to take your medicine, ask a pharmacist or your doctor for advice.
Atorvastatin doesn’t upset the stomach, so you can take it with or without food.
Swallow atorvastatin tablets whole with a glass of water. If you’ve been given chewable tablets, you can chew them or swallow them whole with a glass of water.
What Are The Typical Dosages Of Lipitor
Your doctor will typically follow dosage recommendations and guidelines for your condition based on studies of the drug. Theyll determine the right dosage for you and adjust your dosage over time if needed.
The starting dose and maximum dose of Lipitor youre prescribed may depend on:
- the condition being treated
- any health risk factors you may have
- other medications you may be taking
The typical dosage range of Lipitor is 10 mg to 80 mg taken once per day.
The normal starting dosage is 10 mg to 20 mg taken once per day. But if you have very high cholesterol, your doctor may have you start with a dosage of 40 mg taken once per day. Your doctor will check your cholesterol levels after a few weeks to see how well Lipitor is working for you. They may adjust your dosage at this time if needed.
You May Like: Are Baked Potatoes High In Cholesterol
Which One Is Cheaper
Both and are available as affordable generics that work just as well as their brand-name counterparts . Currently, the lowest GoodRx price for ninety 40 mg tablets of atorvastatin is $15. The lowest GoodRx price for a ninety 40 mg tablets of simvastatin is $9.
Remember, getting a 90-day supply instead of a 30-day supply might save you money in the long run. If you have insurance, dont forget to check how it compares to GoodRx in many cases GoodRx can beat insurance copays. But if you do choose to use insurance, getting your prescription filled at a preferred retail or mail order pharmacy can also help you save.
Pregnancy Breastfeeding Liver Problems And Allergic Reactions
People who are allergic to Lipitor or any of its ingredients should not take the medication, according to the drugs label. Neither should people with liver problems.
The label also advises against taking the drug while pregnant or breastfeeding. Atorvastatin may harm an unborn baby, and the medicine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby.
You May Like: Are Crabs High In Cholesterol
Do You Really Need Maximum
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer advises doctors to prescribe the maximum dosage of Lipitor®. While this may reduce cholesterol, people taking these mega-doses are dying at higher rates from other causes.
Scientifically reviewed by: Dr. Gary Gonzalez, MD, on January 2021. Written By Jay S. Cohen, MD.
In an effort to boost profits, Pfizer is convincing doctors to prescribe the strongest, riskiest, and most expensive dose of Lipitor® to more and more patientsdespite concerns about its safety and efficacy.
In recent years, the use of statin cholesterol-lowering drugs has elicited tremendous controversy. Doctors who believe in natural approaches to disease prevention have suggested that statin drugs are poison that should be avoided altogether. Pharmaceutical company-influenced cardiologists, on the other hand, have stated that virtually everyone over age 40 should be on a statin drug.
Life Extension advocates a common-sense approach to maximize benefit and minimize risk by selecting a statin drug dose that fits your individual needs. We believe that no one should take a statin drug unless warranted by both clinical history and a blood test documenting unacceptable cholesterol-LDL levels.
In this article, one of the worlds foremost experts on statin drugs, Jay S. Cohen, MD, reveals how todays sordid system works against the medical and economic interests of patientsand what you can do to avoid being victimized.
How Should I Take Atorvastatin
Take atorvastatin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Atorvastatin is usually taken once a day, with or without food. Take the medicine at the same time each day.
Do not break a tablet before taking it, unless your doctor has told you to.
You may need to stop using this medicine for a short time if you have:
-
uncontrolled seizures
-
a severe infection or illness or
-
surgery or a medical emergency.
It may take up to 2 weeks before your cholesterol levels improve, and you may need regular blood tests. You may not notice any change in your symptoms, but keep using the medication as directed. Your blood work will help your doctor determine how long to treat you with this medicine. You may need to take atorvastatin for a long time or for life depending on your medical history.
Atorvastatin is only part of a complete treatment program that may also include diet, exercise, and weight control. Follow your doctor’s instructions very closely.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Don’t Miss: What Happens When Your Cholesterol Is Low
Getting The Most From Your Treatment
- Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so that your doctor can check on your progress. You will need to have blood tests from time to time. These are to measure your cholesterol level and also to check that your liver has not been affected by taking atorvastatin.
- Your doctor will give you advice about eating a healthy diet, cutting down on the amount of alcohol you normally drink, reducing the amount of salt in your diet, stopping smoking, and taking regular exercise. Following this advice will also help you to reduce your risk of developing heart and blood vessel disease.
- Do not drink more than one or two small glasses of grapefruit juice a day. This is because a chemical in grapefruit juice can increase the amount of atorvastatin in your bloodstream, which can make side-effects more likely.
- Women taking atorvastatin must avoid getting pregnant. Make sure you have discussed with your doctor which types of contraception are suitable for you and your partner.
- Treatment with atorvastatin is usually long-term unless you experience an adverse effect. Continue to take the tablets unless you are advised otherwise by your doctor.
Which Statin Will Lower Your Cholesterol
Lipitor , Zocor , Crestor , and other statins can dramatically lower levels of artery-clogging cholesterol in the blood, an ability that makes them hugely popular in our cholesterol-rich country. Heart researchers have estimated that these drugs could save 1,000 lives each week for every 10 million high-risk heart disease patients who take them.
One study of nearly 20,000 patients found that, after a heart attack, taking a statin can prevent the risk of death within one year by 25%. Among patients who don’t even have cardiovascular disease, taking a statin preventively can reduce the risk of a major coronary event like heart attack by about 30%.
RELATED: Here’s how to find the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage you need
When Denise Foley, 57, of Philadelphia, went through menopause, her cholesterol shot up from 160 to 240. Her doctor warned her that that number, along with her family history of heart disease, put her at risk for a heart attack or stroke. But she didn’t want to take heart medication. “I really wanted to lower my risk without drugs,” she says. “I lost 30 pounds, I exercised, and I went on a vegetarian diet. But I just couldn’t budge it.”
Statins lower cholesterol in two ways: They encourage the liver to clear LDL from the blood, and they block an enzyme that the body needs to make new cholesterol.
More on heart drugs
Recommended Reading: How Do You Test Cholesterol
Lipitor Dosage For Children
| 20 mg per day. Maximum of 20 mg/day. | ||
| Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia* | 10 years and older | Start 10-20 mg daily, may increase dose every four weeks until maximum of 80 mg/day is reached.* |
The recommended max dose of 80 mg per day for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is based on medical literature and is not approved by the FDA or on the Lipitor package label it is considered an off-label indication.
Whats The Dosage Range For Lipitor Could I Be Prescribed A Dose Of 5 Mg
The typical Lipitor dosage range is 10 milligrams to 80 mg taken once per day. Your dose may depend on the severity of your condition and any other medications youre taking along with Lipitor.
Theres no 5-mg dose of Lipitor dosage available in the United States. But there is a 5-mg chewable tablet available in other countries, such as the United Kingdom.
Your doctor will determine the best dose to treat your condition, and you should take the exact dose they prescribe.
If you have questions about the Lipitor dose thats right for you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Also Check: Shrimp And Cholesterol
How To Take And Store
Lipitor can be taken with or without food. It is quickly absorbed, reaching its peak concentration in the blood within about two hours. Lipitor starts to lower cholesterol within about two weeks of starting the medication.
Lipitor should always be taken in conjunction with a diet to lower your cholesterol and triglycerides.
Store the tablets at a controlled room temperature that’s ideally 68 to 77 degrees F.
If you miss a dose of Lipitor, take it as soon as you remember. But if it has been more than 12 hours since the missed dose, skip it and just take your next scheduled dose. Do not take two doses at once.
If you take too much Lipitor or overdose, seek immediate medical care.
Warnings For People With Certain Health Conditions
For people with kidney problems: Having kidney problems raises your risk for muscle breakdown while taking atorvastatin. Your doctor may monitor you more closely for muscle problems.
For people with liver disease: You shouldnt take this drug if you have liver disease, as this medication can increase your liver test results. This means that you may have liver damage. If you have liver problems, talk with your doctor to make sure this drug is safe for you.
For people with diabetes: Atorvastatin may increase your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may adjust your diabetes medications if this happens, and you may need to monitor your blood sugar levels more often than usual while youre taking this drug.
You May Like: How Much Cholesterol In Canned Tuna
How Good Was The Evidence
- There was a high risk of bias in many of the papers included, as many were not blinded, had limited sequence generation and allocation concealment
- There was poor reporting of adverse events therefore it was not possible to ascertain the incidence of adverse events with confidence
- Approximately half of the trials were industry funded half were funded by Pfizer and half by other manufacturers
- Publication bias was assessed as not significant
This review helps clarify the relationship between the dose of Atorvastatin and the effect it has on cholesterol levels, which will allow for a more factual and open discussion between clinicians and patients about the expected effects of their medication.
Truths About Statins And High Cholesterol
For every drop of scientific evidence that statins are safe and effective, there is a tidal wave of misinformation. Our patients are concerned about statin side effects theyve heard about from family or friends, or read about on the Internet.Statins are the gold-standard for high cholesterol treatment. Theyre a powerful medication, and theyve been proven to save the lives of many men and women living with or having a high risk of heart attack or stroke.But if statins are so effective, why are some people afraid to take them?As with any medication, there are risks associated with taking statins, but the benefits far outweigh the risks for the vast majority of high-risk patients.In an effort to put statin side effects into context and provide honest, scientific answers about statins and their use, weve put together a list of common questions our patients ask us:
Recommended Reading: Egg Beaters Cholesterol
Are There Other Risks I Should Be Aware Of
Atorvastatin and simvastatin have other risks that are shared among most statin medications. Here are some to be aware of:
-
Grapefruit:Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can cause atorvastatin and simvastatin to build up in the blood, so its best to avoid grapefruit while taking these drugs. If youre a big fan of grapefruit like I am, you can ask your provider about switching to another statin that doesnt have this risk, like or .
-
Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can lead to liver damage. This not only increases the risk of side effects from statins but can also lead to other serious health problems, like needing a liver transplant. Remember to drink in moderation or dont have alcohol at all.
-
Pregnancy: In most cases, statins should not be taken while you are pregnant. Older studies have linked statin use to birth defects, and researchers are now reviewing how valid those studies were. But until thats confirmed, most providers recommend avoiding them during pregnancy.
-
Kidney disease: More research is needed to confirm whether statins cause kidney damage, but your provider will carefully consider the risk and benefits with you. Chronic kidney disease can increase the risk for heart disease and heart attacks, so providers often recommend statins in these cases to reduce that risk. However, statins are usually not recommended to people who are on dialysis or have had a kidney transplant.