What Is Atorvastatin?
Atorvastatin is a prescription medicine in the statin family. It lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides by reducing cholesterol production in the liver and helping the liver remove LDL from the blood.
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Why is it commonly prescribed?
Doctors commonly prescribe atorvastatin to:
Treat high LDL cholesterol
Reduce the risk of heart attack
Reduce the risk of ischemic stroke
Lower cardiovascular risk in people with conditions such as diabetes or established heart disease
Treat certain inherited cholesterol disorders such as familial hypercholesterolemia
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It’s often prescribed long term, sometimes for life, because cholesterol levels can rise again if treatment is stopped.
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Is atorvastatin safe?
For most people, yes. Possible side effects include headache, nausea, digestive problems, dizziness, and muscle aches. Serious muscle or liver problems are uncommon, but severe muscle pain or weakness, dark/reddish urine, or yellowing of the skin or eyes should be medically evaluated promptly.
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There are also important drug interactions—for example, certain antibiotics, antifungals, antiviral medicines, and some heart medicines can increase atorvastatin-related risks. Large amounts of grapefruit juice can also increase side-effect risk.
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Don’t stop atorvastatin on your own. If you’re having side effects, your doctor can determine whether they’re related to the medicine and whether changing the dose or switching treatments would be appropriate.
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