Statins may occasionally be associated with mild transaminase elevations but can also result in life-threatening liver injury. Atorvastatin is the most common cause of clinically significant liver injury in this drug class.
Very rarely, statins can cause life-threatening muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis (rab-doe-my-OL-ih-sis). Rhabdomyolysis can cause severe muscle pain, liver damage, kidney failure and death.
Clinical studies revealed Lipitor can damage liver function, and the FDA has received rare post-marketing reports of both fatal and nonfatal liver failure. Other reported liver problems include jaundice, hepatitis, chronic liver damage and fatty changes to the liver.
Taking more than your prescribed dose of atorvastatin is unlikely to harm you.
Atorvastatin competitively inhibits 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. By preventing the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate, statin medications decrease cholesterol production in the liver.
You should not use atorvastatin if you are allergic to it, or if you have liver disease. Do not use if you are pregnant. This medicine can harm an unborn baby. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy.
You may want to stop atorvastatin if you think you're having side effects. Talk to your doctor first to see if it really is a side effect of atorvastatin or an unrelated problem. Your doctor may suggest that you lower your dose or change your medicine. You will not get any withdrawal symptoms.
If you stop taking your statin medication, like atorvastatin (Lipitor), you could have a higher risk of heart problems, including heart attack and stroke. Your healthcare provider may recommend stopping your statin if you have serious side effects.
It's important to know that stopping statins cold turkey, or even gradually, can cause serious health problems and you should talk to your doctor before doing so. To understand more about your heart health, take a health risk assessment at Baptist Health.
You usually have to continue taking statins for life because if you stop taking them, your cholesterol will return to a high level. If you forget to take your dose, do not take an extra one to make up for it.
A low-dose statin like atorvastatin (Lipitor®) is safe for most patients, including those with mild liver enzyme abnormalities.
This is because the enzyme which makes the cholesterol is more active at night. Also, the half-life, or the amount of time it takes for half the dose to leave your body, of some statins is short.
Statins don't just lower cholesterol levels but also reduce the risk of fatty plaques breaking off from walls of your arteries, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Carimi says muscle-related complications are the most common side effect from taking statins. “The most common reason people stop taking statins is because of side effects, like muscle aches, but many have muscle pains from other causes and stop taking the medication in error,” Dr. Carimi says.
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Anyone who wants to stop taking a statin should talk to a doctor. In some cases, coming off these drugs can be dangerous. The doctor may suggest reducing the dosage, combining the statin with another cholesterol lowering drug, or switching to another drug entirely.
Alternate-day treatment with atorvastatin is comparable in efficacy and safety to the established daily treatment regimen, thus being a cost effective alternative.
Atorvastatin has a rapid onset of action; approximately 90% of the LDL cholesterol reduction from baseline occurred within the first 2 weeks of treatment (Figure). Increasing doses of atorvastatin produced progressive increases in efficacy.
No, your cholesterol will likely return to the level it was before taking the medication a few months after stopping the medicine. How long does it take for statins to get out of your system? It can take a few months for your cholesterol levels to return to what they were prior to the medication.
Some medicines can affect the way atorvastatin works and can increase the chances of you having serious side effects, such as muscle damage. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines: antibiotics such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, rifampicin or fusidic acid.
Conclusions: Atorvastatin increases HRV, decreases QTV, and shortens QTc interval, and may thereby reduce the risk of arrhythmias in patients with advanced heart failure.
Grapefruit juice is the only food or drink that has a direct interaction with statins. Statins do not directly interact with any food but people taking statins should moderate their intake of saturated fats to help lower their LDL cholesterol and overall risk of cardiovascular disease.