| 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. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Atorvastatin is generally well tolerated and side effects are usually mild. In studies, the most common side effects associated with Atorvastatin were constipation, flatulence, indigestion, and abdominal pain. If you are prescribed Atorvastatin, your healthcare professional may want to conduct routine blood tests to check your liver function before and after starting treatment. Be sure to tell your healthcare professional if you have any allergies to food or medication. Also, report promptly any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, particularly if accompanied by discomfort or fever, as these symptoms may be signs of serious side effects. What is Atorvastatin? Cholesterol is not a deadly poison, but a substance vital to the cells of all mammals. There are no such things as good or bad cholesterol, but mental stress, physical activity and change of body weight may influence the level of blood cholesterol. A high cholesterol is not dangerous by itself, but may reflect an unhealthy condition, or it may be totally innocent. What is Atorvastatin? A high blood cholesterol is said to promote atherosclerosis and thus also coronary heart disease. But many studies have shown that people whose blood cholesterol is low become just as atherosclerotic as people whose cholesterol is high. Who should not take Atorvastatin tablets? 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? 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%. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. New cholesterol guidelines for converting healthy people into patients 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. |