For example, coronary heart disease, atherosclerotic stroke and peripheral vascular diseases are lipid metabolism disorders and inflammatory vascular diseases. The lipid-regulating and anti-inflammatory effects of statins mainly play a very key role in preventing the occurrence and progress of ASCVD.
It can promote cholesterol to flow out of plaque, thus reducing cholesterol to flow into plaque. When LDL-C is significantly reduced to 1.4-2. 1, the plaque volume can remain stable and will not increase.
If the high density lipoprotein cholesterol HDL-C reaches 1.2- 1.4 and apolipoprotein A 1 reaches 1.35- 1.5g/L at the same time, the reversal (shrinking) of the plaque can be completely observed.
In fact, this means that only by reducing LDL-C and increasing HDL-C can atherosclerotic plaques be reversed. For people who already have ASCVD, statins that can reverse plaque need to be treated, and moderate-intensity statins (atorvastatin 20mg) need to be taken.
Only when the target value of LDL-C is less than < 2. 1, HDL-C > 1.2 can the plaque be stable or even reversed.
1. In terms of the effect of reducing blood lipid, Lipitor can completely reduce blood lipid after two weeks of use, and the maximum effect can be achieved after four weeks of use. Continued use can maintain the effect of lowering blood lipid.
10mg Lipitor can reduce total cholesterol by about 30% and low density lipoprotein cholesterol by about 40%. With the increasing dose, the lipid-lowering effect of Lipitor will also increase (this increase is not proportional to the dose), and 40mg Lipitor can reduce LDL cholesterol by about 50%.
2. In the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, Lipitor has done a lot of research in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In the study of preventing myocardial infarction of coronary heart disease, it is found that Lipitor can significantly reduce the incidence of coronary events or non-fatal myocardial infarction, and the relative risk rate will be reduced by about 36%.
Regardless of age, smoking status, obesity or whether there is abnormal renal function, the risk reduction of cardiovascular disease is consistent.
In the prevention of cerebrovascular diseases, Lipitor's research also confirmed this point. Lipitor can reduce the occurrence of fatal or non-fatal stroke, and Lipitor can reduce the incidence of stroke by about 48%.
Lipitor can also reduce the need for vascular reconstruction caused by atherosclerosis.
Of course, Lipitor also has some side effects. Taking Lipitor is similar to taking other statins. We must also pay attention to the effects of Lipitor on the body, liver and muscles.
And when taking Lipitor, we must try our best to avoid taking azole antifungal drugs (such as itraconazole and ketoconazole), macrolide anti-infective drugs (such as erythromycin, clarithromycin and telithromycin), and fibrate lipid-lowering drugs (such as gemfibrobate and zabetide).
If you must take it together, you must consult the relevant doctor and reduce the dosage, especially pay attention to the side effects.
Of course, if you have been taking Lipitor for 3 years, it means that you may need to take statins for a long time, and then it means that there should be no unbearable side effects.
If the effect of lipid-lowering drugs is still very good, you can continue to take Lipitor orally without switching to other statins, and the effect of lipid-lowering drugs can last for a long time.
Lipitor is the original product of atorvastatin, and its lipid-regulating effect is more accurate. Evidence-based medicine has sufficient evidence and stable product quality. Although generic drugs are consistent with the original drug in terms of chemical structure, content and indications.
However, it is still different from the original product in excipients, product technology, impurities and crystal forms, which leads to a certain gap with the original preparation in pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and adverse reactions.
Therefore, if you really take Lipitor for three years, the blood lipid regulation has reached the target value, and there are no serious adverse drug reactions or tolerable adverse reactions. If economic conditions permit, we do not recommend using other kinds of statins instead.
If Lipitor eats a lot, but the effect of lowering blood fat is not ideal, then you can also try rosuvastatin instead.
If the price is really high, it is ok to switch to cheaper statins, but when switching to statins, we must pay attention to monitoring whether the blood lipid reaches the standard and whether it affects the liver enzymes and muscle enzymes of the body.
If there are no related reasons such as poor lipid-lowering effect or high price, it is recommended to continue taking Lipitor instead of replacing other statins.