Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol
About Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol
Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol is used to treat high cholesterol. It helps lower levels of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, LDL) and triglycerides (fats). Thereby, it reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke in the future.
Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol contains Atorvastatin and Cholecalciferol. Atorvastatin lowers bad cholesterol and increases the good cholesterol. Cholecalciferol helps relieve muscle pain caused by atorvastatin.
Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol may cause side effects like headache, blurred vision, constipation, nausea, diarrhoea, joint swelling, and back pain. Most of these side effects do not require medical attention and resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, consult your doctor.
Do not take Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol if you are allergic to any of its components. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. Keep your doctor informed about your health condition and medications to prevent any interactions/side effects.
Uses of Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol
Medicinal Benefits
- Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol is used to lower high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.
- Atorvastatin works by blocking liver enzymes (HMG-CoA reductase), which reduces the production of cholesterol in the liver.
- It helps reduce bad cholesterol (LDL and VLDL) and triglycerides, while increasing good cholesterol (HDL).
- By improving cholesterol balance, Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol helps reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
- It enhances the removal of excess cholesterol from the blood, promoting better cardiovascular health.
- Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) helps relieve muscle and joint pain that may occur with statin use.
- Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels and improves overall cardiovascular wellbeing.
Directions for Use
- Take Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol with or without food as advised by your doctor.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication to ensure safe and effective use.
- Swallow Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not crush, chew, or break it.
Storage
Side Effects of Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol
- Headache
- Blurred vision
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
- Back pain
Drug Warnings
- Do not take Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol if you are allergic to any of its components.
- Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol may cause serious muscle problems (myopathy and rhabdomyolysis) and can lead to kidney failure. This condition usually occurs in the elderly, people with kidney disease, and poorly controlled hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
- Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol is not recommended for children under 10 years of age.
- Inform your doctor if you have/had liver problems (jaundice, liver cirrhosis), kidney problems, severe lung disease, a heart attack or stroke caused by bleeding in the brain, hypothyroidism, drink more than two servings of alcohol per day, muscle disorder (fibromyalgia) or damaged muscle tissue (rhabdomyolysis).
- Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning for pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
- Let your doctor know if you are taking any other medicines, including supplements or herbal products.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol may have interaction with antibiotics (clarithromycin, cephalexin, tetracycline, gentamicin), antifungals (itraconazole, miconazole, fluconazole, and ketoconazole), HIV medicines (like abacavir, retrovir, and tenofovir), hepatitis C medicines (ribavirin, elbasvir), contraceptive pills, anti-arthritis pills (cyclosporin), heart rate-controlling pills (digoxin, amiodarone), anti-hypertensive drugs (verapamil, diltiazem), and stomach acid related medications (cimetidine).
Drug-Food Interactions: Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol may interact with grapefruit. It increases the concentration of Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol in your body. Hence, avoid grapefruit and its juice.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Patients with serious liver disease (jaundice), kidney disease, lung disease, and muscle weakness (rhabdomyolysis) should be closely monitored while having treatment with Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeDo not drink too much while taking this medicine. Drinking a lot of alcohol will make you more likely to get muscle problems (like myopathy and rhabdomyolysis) and liver problems (with side effects like yellowing of eye/skin and urine).
Pregnancy
unsafeAtorvastatin+cholecalciferol is a pregnancy category X medicine. So it may cause damage to the fetus or unborn baby. Hence, Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol is not recommended during pregnancy. Contact your doctor before taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol if you are pregnant or suspect pregnancy.
Breast Feeding
cautionAtorvastatin+cholecalciferol can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby. So, before using Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol, consult a doctor.
Driving
safe if prescribedAtorvastatin+cholecalciferol has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines.
Liver
cautionAtorvastatin+cholecalciferol should be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of liver disease or conditions. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose.
Kidney
cautionAtorvastatin+cholecalciferol to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of kidney diseases/conditions. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose.
Children
cautionAtorvastatin+cholecalciferol is not indicated in the treatment of patients below the age of 10 years.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Try aromatherapy, yoga, and meditation to help relax your body and mind.
- Try to do breathing exercises to get more oxygen.
- Eat a healthy diet rich in soluble fibre like beans, legumes, whole grains, flax, apples, and citrus fruits.
- Try to replace most of your saturated fats with unsaturated fats that can reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol quickly. Foods like avocados, olive oil, fatty fish, and nuts contain many heart-healthy unsaturated fats, so eating them regularly is beneficial.
- Try to adopt a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fish, low in red meat and most dairy.
- Try to give priority to more fruits and veggies in your daily meals, as these contain antioxidants which help to lower LDL
- Minimise the intake of added sugar. The American Heart Association (ADA) recommends that one should not eat more than 100 calories (25 grams) of added sugar for women and children and no more than 150 calories (37.5 grams) for men every day.
- The American Heart Association recommends that sodium chloride (table salt) intake should not exceed 2,300 mg per day as part of a healthy eating pattern.
- As a precautionary measure, do not consume alcohol and quit smoking.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Hyperlipidemia: High cholesterol, known as hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia, occurs when there is an excess of unhealthy cholesterol in the blood. When there is a high cholesterol level in the blood, your arteries get narrowed and clogged, which finally contributes to heart diseases like stroke and heart attack. Eating high-fat or high-cholesterol-containing food/drinks and genetic factors are the primary causes of high cholesterol.
FAQs
Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol is used to treat high cholesterol. It lowers bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein-LDL) and triglycerides (fats) levels. Hence, it reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke in the future.
There is no strong evidence to suggest that taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol will reduce fertility in either men or women. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor if you have any concerns.
Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol contains Atorvastatin and Cholecalciferol. Atorvastatin lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides by blocking cholesterol production in the body. It also helps the liver remove fat from the blood. Cholecalciferol enhances atorvastatin's cholesterol-lowering effects while reducing muscle pain/damage.
Increase your daily diet with fibre, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish, and cut saturated fat as well. Stop smoking and drinking, and try to work out every day as well.
No, you should not stop taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol without consulting your doctor. Please take the doctor's advice before quitting.
People affected with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), muscle weakness, joint pain, kidney disease, diabetes, liver disease, uncontrolled epilepsy, high or low potassium level, or severely low blood pressure, should consult a doctor before taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol.
Yoghurt is a probiotic which can help lower high cholesterol levels if taken with Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol. Yoghurt eaters have a better metabolic profile than those who do not eat yoghurt.
Egg yolks (the yellow part of the egg) are high in cholesterol and rich in saturated fatty acids, with a greater effect on our blood cholesterol levels. However, you can consume at least 3 whole eggs per day, as eggs are a good source of HDL (good cholesterol). If you have high cholesterol, please consult a doctor regarding the intake of the yolk part of the egg.
Taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol has several benefits, including lowering cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, and helping prevent cardiovascular events. It specifically lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing HDL cholesterol, ultimately reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events, heart attack, stroke, and death.
The use of Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol may slightly increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, the benefits of taking this medication to reduce cardiovascular risk generally outweigh the potential risk of developing diabetes. Regular monitoring by your doctor is necessary to adjust treatment accordingly.
The best time to take Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol is at night, before bedtime, as directed by your doctor. This is because the liver produces cholesterol at night, and taking the medication before bed can help reduce cholesterol production. However, always follow your doctor's specific instructions for taking the medication.
The commonly reported side effects of Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol are headache, blurred vision, constipation, nausea, diarrhoea, joint swelling, and back pain. Most of these side effects do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, consult your doctor if any of these effects worsen or persist.
It is recommended to avoid or limit alcohol consumption while taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol, as excessive drinking may increase the risk of muscle problems and liver issues. Consult your doctor for personalised advice.
You may feel tired when taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol, as muscle weakness is a commonly reported side effect. However, the tiredness you are experiencing may be due to various reasons. To manage it, get plenty of rest and incorporate some energy-boosting measures. If you experience persistent and worsening tiredness, consult your doctor to determine the cause and find relief.
While taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol, follow a healthy and balanced diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol, and limit or avoid grapefruit, fatty foods, alcohol, deep-fried foods, and sugary foods and drinks. Consult your doctor or a registered dietitian for personalized dietary advice.
If you forget a dose of Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol, take it immediately when you remember. However, if your next dose is near, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule. Never double dose to make up for a missed dose, as this may increase side effects.
If you're doing well and your cholesterol levels are controlled, your doctor may consider adjusting or tapering off the Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol, but only after careful evaluation. Do not stop or adjust the medication on your own; this decision should only be made by your doctor.
If you are diabetic, consult your doctor before taking Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol. Your doctor may need to monitor your blood sugar levels and adjust your diabetes treatment plan, as Atorvastatin+cholecalciferol may affect blood sugar control.
