Lipitor

LIPITOR

Drug Information

A low fat diet would certainly help in pulling down the risks of getting heart attacks, strokes, and chest pains, particularly in people with a family-history of heart related disorders. Lipitor serves to lower the low density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. It boosts up the high density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol.

Patients of type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk of stroke and heart-attack. Lipitor acts as an inhibitor. It could also find prescription for other conditions too. It is supplied in the form of tablets in 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and 80mg.

Mechanism

Lipitor lowers the lipid content of blood while inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase. Production of cholesterol is lowered in this manner. It helps the liver process more and more of LDL found in the blood by raising sensitivity of LDL receptors in the liver.

The liver becomes the centre of action in this case. Lipitor works the best when it is taken under the guidance of a medical practitioner, strictly as per his or her recommendations. There should be no breaks in the dosage, and it should not be stopped abruptly.

 How to take Lipitor

The recommended dose of Lipitor is 10mg or 20mg per day. But it would depend on the patient's age, gender and weight. The gravity of the disorder sought to be remedied by Lipitor goes a long way in determining the dosage. Those who want a sharp cut in LDL might be required to undertake a dose of 40mg everyday.

Lipitor is meant to be ingested orally. It could be taken on an empty stomach, or even a full stomach would not make much of   a difference. Regularity and punctuality would always help. If you forget to take a dose on time, you could do it whenever you are reminded of it, but be careful not to mix two successive doses in one. An overdose might result in severe medical problems. Professional assistance should be sought at once.

Some people might have some side-effects like rashes or allergies, swellings, weight-gain, change in color of urine or stool, nausea, headache, pain in stomach, constipation, muscle pain, weakness of muscles, etc. Do consult a medical practitioner at once if any of these extend beyond a tolerable limit.

 Precautions

• All pros and cons of Lipitor should be discussed with an expert physician before embarking on a treatment. Be sure to read all that the label has to say.
• A disorder of the heart, liver, kidney or any other disorder should be discussed well in advance with the doctor before beginning with Lipitor.
• Do share all information of your hypersensitivity to a medicine with your doctor. He would be the best person to guide you in any case. If you plan to take another medication along with Lipitor, be sure it wouldn’t react with Lipitor in an adverse manner. Your physician would help in this case too.
• Maintain a diet low in fat, go through physical exercise regularly, and control your lifestyle while on a dose of Lipitor.
• Pregnant women and nursing mothers should always consult a doctor before initiating a dose of Lipitor.
• Alcohol or grapes or grape-juice should be avoided while a dose of Lipitor is on.
• Some blood-tests might be required to test the efficacy of Lipitor, or even to check if it would work well with you.
• Regular checkups with the doctor would be required.
• Store Lipitor at room temperature.