Description:
Atorvastatin is indicated as an adjunct to diet for reduction of elevated total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglycerides in patients with-
- Primary hypercholesterolemia- heterozygous familial and non-familial hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia (Fredrickson types IIa and IIb)
- Elevated serum TG levels (Fredrickson type IV)
- Primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (Fredrickson type III) who do not respond adequately to diet.
- Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia as an adjunct to other lipid-lowering treatments (LDL apheresis) or if such treatments are unavailable.
Dosage: Patients should be placed on a standard cholesterol-lowering diet before receiving Atorvastatinand should continue on this diet during treatment with Atorvastatin. The usual starting dose for all the indications is 10mg once daily. The doses range is 10 to 80 mg once daily. Doses should be individualised according tobaseline LDL-C levels, the goal of therapy, and patient response. Adjustment of dosage should be made atintervals of 4 weeks or more. Doses may be given at anytime of day with or without food.
Patients should be placed on a standard cholesterol-lowering diet before receiving Atorvastatin and should continue on this diet during treatment with Atorvastatin . The usual starting dose for all the indications is 10 mg once daily. The doses range is 10 to 80 mg once daily. Doses should be individualised according to baseline LDL-C levels, the goal of therapy, and patient response. Adjustment of dosage should be made at intervals of 4 weeks or more. Doses may be given at anytime of day with or without food.
- Children: Treatment experience in a paediatric population with dose of Atorvastatin up to 80 mg/day is limited.
- Geriatric (>70 years): The safety and efficacy of Atorvastatin in this population is as similar as < 70 years of age patients with the dose upto 80 mg/day.
- In patients with Renal Insufficiency: No dosage adjustment is required.
Side effects: Atorvastatin is generally well tolerated. Adverse reactions have usually been mild and transient. Reversible myositis is rare but significant side effect of the statins. The statins also cause headache, altered liver-function tests and gastro-intestinal effects including abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. Thrombocytopenia, rash and hypersensitivity reactions have been reported rarely. Other side effects are reported with Atorvastatin therapy includes insomnia, angioedema, anorexia, asthenia, paraesthesia, peripheral neuropathy, alopecia, pruritus, rash, impotence, chest pain, hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.
