Text/Xia Mo
Editor/Xia Mo
Preface
Now the most intuitive manifestation of the gradual improvement of life is that everyone is eating better and better.
However, this increase in the level of diet has caused a lot of problems for people.
The usual high-salt, high-oil, high-fat dietary intake Xi has caused more and more people to suffer from three highs, and many people are facing the problem of hyperlipidemia.
Among the various drugs for the treatment of high cholesterol and hyperlipidemia, atorvastatin has always been the most clinically effective and popular drug.
However, although atorvastatin is good, there are eight groups of people who are not suitable to take it, see if you are in it.
Eight groups of people, take with caution
1. People with liver problems
Statin drugs such as atorvastatin are broken down in the liver by drug-metabolizing enzymes, but its metabolites are hepatotoxic, causing liver enzymes in the blood to rise and damage liver function.
People with liver problems will have slower metabolic function than normal people, and atorvastatin will stay in the lungs for a longer time, increasing the impact on the liver.
In addition, atovar's hypolipidemic mechanism is by lowering cholesterol, which is the main component of liver cell membranes.
Once cholesterol synthesis is inhibited, it leads to an increase in the liver's levels of nonalanine aminotransferase, which makes the liver more susceptible to inflammation and adverse effects.
In addition, atorvastatin can also make non-alcoholic fatty liver disease worse, allowing more fat to accumulate in the liver.
These effects are very harmful to normal people, not to mention patients who already have liver problems, and taking atorvastatin will only make it worse.
2. Diabetic people
Statins, especially atorvastatin, can affect the regulation of blood sugar.
Some studies have shown that statin drugs can improve the metabolism of pancreatic islet cells to reduce insulin resistance and help lower blood sugar.
However, it has also been found that statins inhibit signaling pathways related to insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion, so long-term use of high-dose statin drugs can lead to insulin resistance and increase blood sugar.
There is no conclusive conclusion as to whether statins raise or lower blood sugar, but taking atorvastatin is not good for balancing blood sugar at a stable level.
In addition, some glucose-lowering drugs can interact with atorvastatin, resulting in a diminished effect and other drug reaction problems.
Therefore, it is still prudent to take atorvastatin for diabetic patients who already have difficulty controlling blood sugar.
3. People with long-term muscle problems
Before taking atorvastatin, it is important to know about the rare but serious side effect of rhabdomyolysis.
When atorvastatin is ingested, the permeability of muscle cells will be enhanced, making muscle cells more susceptible to damage, which will cause muscle tissue destruction and release a large amount of myoglobin into the blood.
In this case, it can lead to an inflammatory response in the muscles, which can make the muscles feel sore and weak.
In addition, statins inhibit an enzyme called creatine kinase in muscle cells, which releases more creatine kinase into the bloodstream because its normal function is interfered with.
When there is too much creatine kinase in the blood, the energy conversion of muscle cells will be abnormal, and muscle cells will also be damaged due to the normal function of mitochondria, and then dissolve, which is rhabdomyolysis.
For people who are already prone to muscle soreness and other problems, the side effects of taking atorvastatin will further exacerbate the pain in the muscles, not to mention rhabdomyolysis.
4. People with gastrointestinal problems
Statins generally have a relatively small effect on the stomach, but atorvastatin can cause some irritation to the stomach due to its relatively strong effect.
The chemical ingredient in atorvastatin causes a burning sensation in the stomach lining and makes people feel stomach pain.
Patients with pre-existing stomach problems will be more sensitive to this stimulus than ordinary people, and the acidic stimulation of atorvastatin is more likely to cause damage to the gastric mucosa, and over time, it is likely to evolve into gastric ulcers.
Therefore, once you feel obvious nausea and discomfort after taking statin, or if you have an adverse reaction such as vomiting, do not take it again.
5. People who drink alcohol for a long time
Statins are not recommended for people who drink alcohol for a long time, mainly because they are related to liver damage and rhabdomyolysis.
Long-term alcoholics will have fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and other liver problems, statins play a role in the liver metabolism process, which will lead to an increased risk of liver damage in alcoholics, further increasing the burden on the liver.
People who love to drink alcohol are prone to muscle inflammation, which leads to muscle damage, and the use of statin drugs is more likely to increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis.
Alcohol also depletes the liver's oxidoreductase enzymes and drug transporters on cell membranes, which affects the metabolism of statins, increasing statin concentrations in the body, leading to more pronounced side effects.
6. Pregnant and lactating women
As a special population at a critical time, pregnant and lactating women need to pay special attention to the safety of drugs.
Although statins are effective, they are also very effective, and there are no clinical trials to determine that they are harmless to pregnant women or lactating parents.
In addition, during pregnancy and lactation, cholesterol is an essential nutrient for fetal and infant development, and if the synthesis of blood lipids and cholesterol is inhibited, it is likely to interfere with the normal development of the fetus or infant.
In addition, pregnant and lactating women are also unstable for the metabolism of drugs, so they need to monitor and adjust the dose very frequently, which is particularly troublesome for statins, which are easy to cause various side effects, so it is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women.
7. Hyperglycemia patients
Some people may wonder if atorvastatin is used to treat hyperlipidemia.
In fact, this is talking about people who simply suffer from hyperlipidemia and have no other complications.
After taking atorvastatin for a period of time, the blood lipid level will drop significantly, but in this case, it is still necessary to follow the doctor's advice, do not stop the drug at will, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
8. Those who are allergic to related ingredients
Before taking atorvastatin, it is best to carefully read the ingredient list and do an allergen check to confirm that there are no allergenic ingredients before taking it.
Otherwise, allergic reactions can range from urticaria and edema to direct shock, which is life-threatening.
epilogue
After reading this article, I believe you have a better understanding of the people for whom atorvastatin is suitable.
Before taking atorvastatin, it is important to consult your doctor and inform your doctor about your condition.
In addition, after starting to take it, do not increase or decrease the dosage on your own, and still communicate with your doctor.