Atorvastatin

Introduction

Atorvastatin is a type of statin which helps to lower blood cholesterol levels by reducing total cholesterol production. It can also lowers the risk for cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack. 

Common side effects

Diarrhoea, muscle pain, urinary tract infection

Precautions

• Tell your doctor or pharmacists if you experience abnormal muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, fever
• Avoid intake of excessive alcohol
• Avoid drinking large amount of grapefruit juice (not more than 2 small glasses per day)

Who cannot take

• People with acute liver disease
• Pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant 
• nursing mothers

Cautions with other medicine/food

• Alcohol
• Grapefruit juice
• Ciclosporin (immunosuppressant)
• Antibiotics such as clarithromycin, daptomycin, erythromycin
• Antifungal such as fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, voriconazole
• Antiretroviral such as lopinavir, ritonavir
• Colchicine (pain relief in gout)
• Diltiazem (anti-hypertensive drug)
• Other lipid-lowering drugs such as ezetimibe, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Category X: Studies in animals or human beings have demonstrated foetal abnormalities or there is evidence of foetal risk based on human experience or both, and the risk of the use of the drug in pregnant women clearly outweighs any possible benefit. The drug is contraindicated in women who are or may become pregnant.

簡介

Atorvastatin是一種他汀類藥物，能抑制體內膽固醇的產生，有助降低血液中的膽固醇水平。它可以降低中風和心臟病發作等心血管病的風險。

常見副作用

腹瀉，肌痛，尿道炎

注意事項

• 如有不尋常的肌肉痠痛、觸痛、虛弱、發燒，應告知你的醫生或藥劑師
• 避免飲用過多酒精
• 避免飲用過多西柚汁 (每日不多於2小杯)

不可服用的人士

• 急性肝病患者
• 孕婦或準備懷孕的女士
• 正在哺乳的女士

一同服用時需要注意的藥物／食物

• 酒
• 西柚汁
• 環孢素（免疫抑制劑）
• 抗生素，例如 clarithromycin, daptomycin, erythromycin
• 抗真菌藥，例如fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, voriconazole
• 抗逆轉錄病毒藥物，如lopinavir, ritonavir
• Colchicine（痛風緩解疼痛）
• Diltiazem (降血壓藥）
• 其他降脂藥物，例如ezetimibe, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil

懷孕及哺乳

X：針對動物或孕婦的控制實驗或觀察研究中，已顯示此藥會造成胚胎異常，而且禁用於已經或可能懷孕的婦女。