Lipitor is a popular medical product often sought after for treatment with cases of high cholesterol and high triglycerides, as well as to prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Lipitor falls under a category of drugs called statins, which have the function of blcking enzymes that controls the cholesterol production rates in your body.
The generic name for Lipitor is atorvastatin calcium, which is basically used to treat a variety of heart disease-related conditions. Here are some of the common uses of Lipitor:
· For lowering the cholesterol counts in people who have high counts, commonly known as hypercholesterolemia. The product aims to reduce LDL, ApoB, and triglycerids, as well as raise HDL. Stated simply, Lipitor reduces the bad cholesterols and raise the good ones.
· For lowering the trygliceride count for those who specifically have high counts.
· Additional treatment for those who have homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.
· To reduce the risk of heart disease, and reduce complications for those who already have the condition.
Lipitor is manufactured by Pfizer, Inc., one of the leading drug manufacturers in the entire world.
As mentioned before, Lipitor is under the statins class of drugs. It blocks the HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that manipulates cholesterol production of the body. By doing so the liver is led to produce less cholesterol. In addition to this function, Lipitor also does the following:
· Strengthen the liver’s collection and disposal of bad cholesterol.
· Increases the good cholesterol.
· Reduces the triglycerides.
Of course, Lipitor takes action in cases where cholesterol treatment is not achieved by weight loss, adequate exercise and proper diet alone, which are basically the main tools for the treatment in general. This means that it’s always advisable for patients to take their own initiative and help themselves become healthy by living a healthier lifestyle, and use Lipitor as a way to help them out.
With respect to cholesterol treatment, the main idea is to reduce the count levels of bad cholesterol such as the LDL, which are responsible for increasing risks of getting heart diseases. If you have a higher risk rate, the more LDL you have to reduce.
Studies have shown that people who take Lipitor 10 mg had a decrease of LDL cholesterol by as much as 39%, triglycerides by 19%, and total cholesterol by 29%, and had a 6& raise on HDL cholesterol. And the dosage increase in the study resulted to stronger effects.
Here are some general guidelines for taking Lipitor:
· Since it’s in tablet form, you can take it once a day with a glass of water. This can be taken with or without having eaten first.
· It doesn’t matter if you take the medication in the morning or at night – what’s important is that you remain consistent with the time of the day you take Lipitor each day.
· Most importantly, follow the doctor’s prescriptions. Otherwise, it just won’t work. Some of the factors that doctors take into consideration when giving the proper dosage are:
o Your age
o The condition Lipitor is being used for treatment
o The existence of other medical conditions alongside the one being treated
o The existence of other medication you are currently taking
These factors are specially managed by the doctor, so listen to the prescription always. Only adjust your medication when your doctor tells you so.
Lipitor also has side effects, the most common of which are:
· Headaches
· Muscle, joint, and abdominal pains
· Rashes
· Diarrhea
While these may be normal, it’s always safer to see the doctor in case any of these side effects begin to manifest.