Atorvastatin, or Lipitor belongs to a group of medicines called statins. They are used to lower
cholesterol if you've been diagnosed with high cholesterol. Its also taken to prevent heart
disease, including heart attacks and strokes. And Your doctor may even prescribe atorvastatin,
if you have a family history of heart disease, But in this video, I wanted to go over some side
effects of atorvastatin that you should keep note of and how to manage them appropriately,
and really to ensure that you are getting the most benefits from atorvastatin both
safely and effectively, so you dont want to miss this. Stay tuned till the end.
Hi guys, yaseen arsalan, media pharmacist here on youtube where I help you guys make better
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without further ado, lets get straight into it. Just: In 2018, Atorvastatin was the most commonly
prescribed medication in the US, with more than 112 million prescriptions. And thats a
lot of prescriptions. So: If you have been on atorvastatin, or are new to taking it,
you might be a little confused as to why your doctor has you on this medicine,
and if its really necessary. Well, to break down why doctors prescribe atorvastatin, its important
to know what its used for and how it works in the body, so before we get into the side effects,
lets tackle these two areas down first. Firstly, lets look at why its used: atorvastatin is used
to improve cholesterol levels in people with different types of cholesterol problems. It’s also
used to decrease your risk for heart attack and stroke, which we mentioned earlier. And when used
together with diet, weight loss, and exercise, studies show us that this helps to prevent
cholesterol from building up in your arteries. This is key here because, Clogged arteries can
block blood flow to your heart and brain, which is what this medicine is trying to work against.
You see: When you have high cholesterol, a thick, waxy plaque can build up in your artery walls.
As plaque builds up, the artery narrows and becomes less flexible. If a blood clot forms and
clogs an artery narrowed by plaque, you could have a heart attack or stroke.Now, should atorvastatin
be used as a shortcut to getting cholesterol in check? Your doctor will weigh the pros and cons
of that, but generally speaking: you might be prescribed it, only if you are not able to lower
your cholesterol after following, #1: a low-fat diet and, #2 a program of regular exercise.
Secondly: Lets look at how it works. Atorvastatin acts on the liver to slow down cholesterol making.
This in turn, lowers your blood cholesterol level by lowering your low-density lipoprotein,
LDL or “bad” cholesterol and raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good”
cholesterol. And it starts to work in as little as 2 weeks. It also improves your body’s ability to
get rid of LDL cholesterol through your liver. And For the first 12 months on this medicine,
you'll be offered a couple of routine tests to make sure your liver is working normally and that
your cholesterol levels are in fact in check. Atorvastatin may also be used as part of a
combination therapy with other medicines. So its totally normal if you may need to take it with
other medications. For Adults, At first, you can be expected to take 10 or 20 milligrams (mg) once
a day. Some patients may need to start at 40 mg per day too. A dose of 10 to 20 mg per day
is considered moderate-intensity therapy with an expected LDL (low density lipoprotein) reduction
of 30% to 50%. A dose of 40 to 80 mg per day is considered high-intensity therapy with an
expected LDL reduction of 50% or greater. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However,
the dose is usually not more than 80 mg per day. There is also some key takeaways I will
leave you with, but before that, lets get into those side effects and what to do for them.
#1: Muscle aches and pain. From leg spasms, to muscle stiffness. Mild to moderate muscle
pain or (myalgia) is the most commonly reported side effect with statins, and 1% to 10% or 1 to
10 out of every 100 people) may report this effect. And although not entirely alarming,
If you get unusual muscle pain, weakness or tiredness which isn't from exercise or hard work,
talk to your doctor. You may need a blood test to check what might be causing it. In the meantime,
You can ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. However, if the muscle pain is
too severe, let your doctor know as soon as you can, as this condition may be known as
Rhabdomyolysis, which is a very rare but serious form of muscle pain, occurring in less than 0.1%
of people and should be reported right away to prevent rapid breakdown of muscle tissue
and possible kidney damage or kidney failure. #2: Headaches.No one is a fan of headaches.
So if you are experiencing them when starting, Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids.
And avoid excessive alcohol intake. More on this in a bit. And Ask your pharmacist to recommend a
painkiller. Headaches should usually go away after the first week of taking atorvastatin.
#3: Cold like symptoms. This includes things like a runny nose, sneezing, and coughing.
Ask your friendly neighborhood pharmacist, to see what may be the best
recommendation for you and get plenty of rest. #4: Upset stomach. This could entail constipation
or diarrhea: For constipation eat more high-fibre foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables and cereals,
and drink plenty of water. Also: Try to exercise more regularly, for example, by going for a
daily walk or run, which will help with lowering cholesterol at the same time. For diarrhea: drink
plenty of water to avoid dehydration. You can look for signs of dehydration which include peeing less
than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. #5: Memory issues?. researchers from Johns Hopkins
Medicine looked at 41 different studies on statins to see if there was a link between taking the
medication and memory loss. Combined, the studies followed 23,000 men and women with no history of
memory problems for up to 25 years. Which is why I put memory issues with a question mark. Despite
the large amount of research showing that statins do not cause memory loss, some people may still
experience this condition. So Talk to your doctor if you are taking statins and experiencing trouble
with memory, so they can help you rule out any other potential causes not related to statins.
#6: Joint Pain. Joint pain is considered a minor side effect of statin use, and yes muscle pain
and joint pain are separate issues, in which you should bring both of them up to your
doctor if you are experiencing either of them. There are some medications that interact with
statins to increase the amount of atorvastatin that gets in the bloodstream and make these
side effects worse, so i left for you in the description a list of medicines that interact
that you should be aware of as well. And yes,, Grapefruit juice is said to interact as well.
#7: An increase in blood sugar. The use of statins may lead to a small increased risk of higher blood
sugar levels. This is because: Statins appear to ipair insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion,
although the exact causes are not fully known: WIth that said: most doctors will agree that
the benefits of statins in lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease clearly outweigh any risk
from the development of diabetes and should not be a reason to stop taking them without
your doctors approval. If you are diabetic and are taking a statin, follow your normal blood
sugar readings protocols, and let your doctor know if anything out of the ordinary pops up.
Sometimes statins may not be the best treatment for patients as the side effects can be too
troublesome on a daily basis, which is why it may be necessary to bring up the use of the
alternative: pcsk9 inhibitors to your doctor to see if that may be a better solution in
managing your cholesterol without the statin side effects. Just something to keep note of.
With being aware of those side effects, I want to share with you 2 important times for when you
should contact your doctor. #1: Dark brown urine, resembling the color of coca cola,
severe muscle weakness or pain, fever, tiredness (these are signs of rhabdomyolysis). And #2:
Yellowing of the eyes or skin, or pale stool,(these are signs of severe liver issues). As
well as any allergic reactions including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat that may
cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing . And lastly to end this video: I want to share
4 important key takeaways, pharmacists tell patients at the pharmacy: #1: Atorvastatin
stays in your body longer than other statins, so it can be taken either day or night with or
without food. Whichever time you remember best for taking it. #2: Atorvastatin isn't
recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, as there's no firm evidence that it's safe.
It's best to stop taking atorvastatin at least 3 months before you start trying for a baby,
same thing goes for breastfeeding, you do not want to be taking it during breastfeeding
as its not known if atorvastatin gets into breast milk. But let your doctor know right
away before stopping. #3: Limit alcohol intake. Consider limiting your alcohol intake because
statins plus excessive alcohol may raise your triglyceride levels and possibly lead to liver
toxicity. If you drink more than 2 glasses of alcohol per day, discuss this with your doctor.
#4 Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor, and yes
that includes vitamins and herbals. St. Johns wart, being one of them.
Overall atorvastatin has been shown to help prevent heart attacks and stroke,
especially in cases where those health issues are inherited. But statins are not the only
way to reduce cholesterol. Simple changes in your diet and an increase in exercise can make
a difference. And should not be underestimated. And thats it guys, I hope that this video helps
give you a better understanding of atorvastatin. Although this isnt everything there is to know
about it, I hope its a good starting point.. I also hope this video was insightful to you guys,
the only thing I ask in return is just a simple like down below for the youtube
algorithm. Thanks for sticking tuned till the end, and as always, Ill see you on the next one.