The Medicine Atorvastatin is mainly used to lower cholesterol. It has medicinal benefits during or after a diet. As a result, a reduction in the risk of heart attacks is often achieved as a positive side effect.
What is atorvastatin?
As a component of various drugs, atorvastatin is mostly used when a cholesterol level of at least 5.5 millimoles per liter can be detected in the blood. In these cases, attempts to lower cholesterol have already been tried without success through diet. Regulation must therefore be carried out through medical therapy.
If such measures are not taken, the organism could be permanently damaged. Then there would also be the risk of a heart attack or hardening of the arteries.
Depending on the effects of the condition, atorvastatin is prescribed in a dosage of ten to 80 milligrams and is usually administered for a limited time. However, the prescription tablets are considered to be comparatively expensive and should therefore only be used if a diet does not guarantee the desired success.
Pharmacological effect
Cholesterol is a natural active ingredient. It takes on vital functions in the body. The construction and repair of cell membranes are dependent on a certain cholesterol level.
This can be influenced in two ways. On the one hand, cholesterol is made in the human liver. On the other hand, the level can be increased or decreased through the intake of certain foods. Usually the latter is the case.
A cholesterol level that is too high would then no longer be seen as positive, but rather associated with considerable dangers. At this point, however, atorvastatin intervenes: It lowers the production of this important building block in the liver. Specifically, the remedy influences the production of the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase.
There is a double effect. HDL cholesterol, which is considered beneficial for the organism, continues to be created by the liver. In contrast, LDL cholesterol, which is assessed as negative, is no longer produced or only produced to a lesser extent. The risk of hardening of the arteries is reduced.
It is therefore advisable, in addition to taking atorvastatin, to continue to pay attention to the diet and thus support the drug.
Medical application & use
Basically, the aim with atorvastatin is to lower the cholesterol value. All associated after-effects such as heart attack or arteriosclerosis can consequently be avoided.
The remedy has another effect with regard to the triacylglycerides. If there is an increased level of this blood fat, the health of the person concerned could also suffer. An increase in the apolipoprotein B protein in the blood would also be considered risky. In these cases the administration of atorvastatin is mostly stopped.
However, the drug is only used when all of the aforementioned developments have already reached a critical value. On the other hand, the preparation cannot develop any preventive effect. In addition, it is usually only prescribed when other means of relief have been tried without success.
When ingested, quick and even acute improvements are possible: Atorvastatin works just two hours later. It is absorbed, converted and processed by the organism without major delays.
Risks & side effects
However, atorvastatin should be taken under medical supervision. In many cases, even a slight overdose can lead to considerable headaches and dizziness. Often the entire gastrointestinal tract is also affected. Abdominal pain, gas, an uncomfortable feeling of fullness or heartburn can occur.
Most of the time, the person concerned now feels tired and powerless. He lacks the energy to devote himself to the tasks of the day. This can result in a reduced ability to concentrate for drivers or machine operators.
People with an already sensitive or weak immune system may also complain of skin rashes or more often noticeable itching in their fingers.
In contrast, water retention in the legs, back pain or rheumatoid-like complaints only occur in the case of acute and relatively serious overdoses. The exact determination of the required value must therefore be made in each individual case.
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