Cardiovascular disease, as the main threat to the life safety of urban and rural residents in mainland China, cannot be ignored. Among the many cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is particularly prominent and has become the number one health killer.
The main culprit of atherosclerosis is the rise in LDL cholesterol. This cholesterol is deposited in the lining of blood vessels, gradually forming plaques, leading to narrowing of blood vessels and obstruction of blood flow, which can lead to a series of cardiovascular diseases.
In order to effectively address this health challenge, the medical community has been exploring effective drug treatments. The advent of statins has undoubtedly brought new hope for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Statins can not only significantly reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, but also help reverse plaque in the patient's body, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease to some extent.
Atorvastatin, as a leader in statins, is increasingly widely used in clinical practice. In medical practice, atorvastatin is often used to treat a variety of diseases such as hypercholesterolemia, mixed dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and hypercholesterolemia with hyperuric acid.
Its excellent efficacy and safety make atorvastatin one of the important drugs in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. As the saying goes, medicine is poisonous. Atorvastatin is no exception and has side effects.
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What are the adverse effects of atorvastatin?Doctor: In addition to muscle pain, there are 3 side effects
When atorvastatin enters the body, it exerts its role in inhibiting cholesterol synthesis, but at the same time, it may also suppress the body's immune system. When atorvastatin binds too much to muscle tissue, it can cause adverse effects of muscle pain.
Atorvastatin-induced muscle pain can be divided into three levels depending on its severity: myalgia, myositis, and rhabdomyolysis.
Symptoms of myalgia and myositis are relatively mild, mainly manifested by muscle aches and weakness, which generally lessen gradually.
However, rhabdomyolysis is a very serious drug reaction that indicates severe damage to the patient's muscle tissue, resulting in a large release of myoglobin.
In this case, the concentration of creatine and creatine kinase will rise dramatically, and if not prompt medical intervention, it may even induce acute kidney failure, threatening the patient's life.
Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor promptly to assess the severity of symptoms when a patient experiences muscle pain while taking atorvastatin. If the pain is not severe, atorvastatin may be allowed to be continued, but symptoms need to be monitored closely.
However, if the pain is severe or even other symptoms such as fever, fatigue, change in urine color, etc., the drug should be discontinued or the dosage of the drug should be adjusted under the guidance of the doctor to ensure the safety of the patient.
In addition to muscle pain, there are 3 side effects:
Adverse liver reactions
The liver is the main site of atorvastatin's work, but it also makes it a high incidence area for adverse drug reactions. Atorvastatin may cause elevated alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, which can trigger symptoms such as cholestasis, acute hepatitis, and even liver failure.
This is because atorvastatin is mainly metabolized by the liver enzyme CYP3A4, and if the activity of this enzyme is inhibited or the concentration is insufficient, the metabolism of the drug will be hindered, which will increase the toxicity of the drug to the liver.
Neurological adverse effects
Atorvastatin has a high lipid solubility, making it easy to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the central system, causing adverse effects on the nervous system.
This can lead to symptoms such as drowsiness, dreaminess, and neurotoxicity such as peripheral nerve paresthesia, numbness, and even pain. In recent years, there has been a trend towards an increase in such cases, so we need to be very vigilant about this.
Digestive system adverse effects
Some patients experience gastrointestinal reactions such as nausea, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, etc. after taking atorvastatin calcium.
This is because atorvastatin calcium has been partially cleared by the gastric mucosa before entering the systemic circulation, resulting in a certain irritation to the gastrointestinal tract.
In particular, patients with gastrointestinal disorders need to be extra careful when taking medications, and may choose to take the medication after meals or consider switching to other types of medications.
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Precautions and contraindications for atorvastatin
Before using atorvastatin, patients should be fully aware of the possible side effects. Common side effects include muscle pain, weakness, nausea, etc., which usually lessen gradually. However, if serious side effects such as difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, chest pain, etc., the medication should be stopped immediately and medical attention should be sought immediately.
The use of atorvastatin also needs to be tailored to the patient's specific situation. For patients with liver and kidney insufficiency, the dose of the drug may need to be reduced to avoid the accumulation of the drug in the body and causing adverse effects.
In addition, special populations such as pregnant and lactating women, as well as children, should be given special caution when using atorvastatin, preferably under the guidance of a doctor.
In addition to the above precautions, atorvastatin has some contraindications. For example, patients who are allergic to atorvastatin should avoid the drug. In addition, atorvastatin should also be contraindicated in patients with active liver disease and in patients with unexplained muscle pain or muscle weakness.
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How to regulate patients with hyperlipidemia on a daily basis?
Be mindful of what you eat
Patients with hyperlipidemia should follow the principle of low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-calorie diet, and consume more fiber-rich vegetables and fruits, such as spinach, carrots, apples, etc., which can help reduce blood cholesterol levels. At the same time, reduce the intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods, such as fried foods, fast foods, desserts, etc., to control total calorie intake.
Increase exercise
Moderate aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, swimming, etc., can improve cardiopulmonary function, promote blood circulation, and accelerate fat metabolism, thereby helping to reduce blood lipid levels.
Patients with hyperlipidemia are advised to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, with gradual increase in intensity and duration of exercise according to individual circumstances.
Control your weight
Obesity is one of the important risk factors for hyperlipidemia, so maintaining a normal weight is essential for patients with hyperlipidemia. In addition to controlling diet and exercise, patients with hyperlipidemia should also monitor their blood lipid levels regularly to identify and deal with problems in a timely manner.
Doctors will develop a personalized treatment plan based on the patient's specific situation, including medical and non-pharmacological treatments, to help patients effectively control blood lipid levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.