| Generally, Atorvastatin works within 2 weeks. The full effect is usually seen within 4 weeks and lasts as long as you continue taking it. Always take Atorvastatin as directed by your healthcare professional. The new cholesterol-lowering drugs, the statins, do prevent cardio-vascular disease, but this is due to other mechanisms than cholesterol-lowering. Unfortunately, they also stimulate cancer in rodents. The only effective way to lower cholesterol is with drugs, but neither heart mortality or total mortality have been improved with drugs the effect of which is cholesterol-lowering only. On the contrary, these drugs are dangerous to your health and may shorten your life. Atorvastatin is a prescription drug in one of the newest classes of cholesterol-lowering medications, called statins. These drugs have been used widely for the last five years. For people with high cholesterol, Atorvastatin, in combination with a low-fat diet, can reduce your LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. How does Atorvastatin work? If you think this is written by another internet crackpot, take a look at Dr. Ravnskov's credentials and the reviews of his book. In medical studies of people with high cholesterol, Atorvastatin, taken once a day, had the following effects at doses of 10 to 80 mg: Lowered total cholesterol by 29-45%. Lowered LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, by 39-60%. Increased HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, by 5-9%. Lowered triglyceride levels by 19-37%. Some people should not take Atorvastatin. Those with active liver disease or possible liver problems; women who are pregnant, could possibly become pregnant, or are breast-feeding; and people who are allergic to any of the ingredients in LIPITOR. Your body produces three to four times more cholesterol than you eat. The production of cholesterol increases when you eat little cholesterol and decreases when you eat much. This explains why the ”prudent” diet cannot lower cholesterol more than on average a few per cent. What would I need to know about taking Atorvastatin? Evidence from the new cholesterol-lowering trial PROSPER, that statin treatment causes cancer. What would I need to know about taking Atorvastatin? New cholesterol guidelines for converting healthy people into patients What would I need to know about taking Atorvastatin? Some people should not take Atorvastatin. Those with active liver disease or possible liver problems; women who are pregnant, could possibly become pregnant, or are breast-feeding; and people who are allergic to any of the ingredients in LIPITOR. |