Atorvastatin 10Mg, 20Mg, 40Mg & 80Mg Film-Coated Tablets
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Atorvastatin 10mg, 20mg, 40mg & 80mg film-coated tablets (Pharmacare®) Atorvastatin (as Atorvastatin calcium) New Zealand Consumer Medicine Information What is in this leaflet What is cholesterol? vessels can lead to several types of blood vessel disease, heart attack, Everyone has cholesterol in their angina and stroke. This leaflet answers some of the blood. It is a type of blood fat more common questions about needed by the body for many things, There is another type of blood fat Atorvastatin. such as building the cell lining, called triglyceride, which is a source It does not contain all of the available making bile acids (which help to of energy. However, high levels of information. It does not take the digest food) and some hormones. triglyceride can be associated with a place of talking to your doctor or However, too much cholesterol can low level of 'good' cholesterol and pharmacist. be a problem. may increase your risk of heart disease. All medicines have risks and Cholesterol is present in many foods benefits. Your doctor has weighed and is also made in your body by the In some patients, Atorvastatin is used the risks of you taking Atorvastatin liver. If your body makes too much to treat high cholesterol and high against the benefits he/she expects it cholesterol or you have too much triglycerides together. will have for you. cholesterol in your diet, then your In most people, there are no level becomes too high. If you have any concerns about symptoms of abnormal cholesterol or taking this medicine, ask your High cholesterol is more likely to triglyceride levels. Your doctor can doctor or pharmacist. occur with certain diseases or if you measure your levels with a simple have a family history of high blood test. Keep this leaflet with your cholesterol. medicine. How Atorvastatin works There are different types of You may need to read it again. cholesterol. LDL, or low-density Atorvastatin belongs to a group of lipoprotein, is the 'bad' cholesterol medicines called HMG- CoA that can block your blood vessels. reductase inhibitors. It works by HDL, or high density lipoprotein, reducing the amount of cholesterol What cholesterol is the 'good' cholesterol made by the liver. ATORVASTATIN that is thought to remove the bad Atorvastatin reduces the 'bad' is used for cholesterol from the blood vessels. cholesterol and can raise the 'good' When you have high levels of 'bad' cholesterol. Atorvastatin also helps Atorvastatin is used to lower high cholesterol in your blood, it may to protect you from a heart attack or cholesterol levels. begin to 'stick' to the inside of your stroke. Atorvastatin is also used to help blood vessels instead of being carried Ask your doctor if you have any reduce the risk of having a heart to the parts of the body where it is questions about why Atorvastatin attack or stroke in people who have needed. Over time, this can form has been prescribed for you. high blood pressure and coronary hard areas, also called plaque, on the Your doctor may have prescribed it heart disease (CHD) or who are at walls of your blood vessels, making for another reason. risk of CHD. Examples of risk it more difficult for the blood to flow. Atorvastatin is not addictive. factors for CHD include diabetes, a Sometimes, the plaque can detach history of stroke, or small blood from the vessel wall and float in the This medicine is available only with vessel disease. bloodstream; it can then reach a a doctor's prescription. smaller vessel and completely block it. This blocking of your blood ATORVASTATIN 10mg, 20mg, 40mg, 80mg film-coated tablets (Pharmacare®) 1 Before you take Before you start to take it Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the ATORVASTATIN Your doctor will ask you to have following: your liver function tested before you • digoxin, a medicine used to treat When you must not take it start to take Atorvastatin. some heart problems Do not take Atorvastatin if you Tell your doctor if you have • diltiazem, a medicine used to have an allergy to: allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes. treat angina • any medicine containing • other medicines to treat high atorvastatin Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following cholesterol or triglycerides • any of the ingredients listed at the medical conditions: including other brands that end of this leaflet. contain the medicine atorvastatin • liver problems Some of the symptoms of an allergic • antacids, medicines used to treat • kidney problems reaction may include: reflux or ulcers • muscle pain, tenderness or • shortness of breath • the antibiotics erythromycin, weakness from other medicines • clarithromycin, rifampicin or wheezing or difficulty breathing used to treat high cholesterol or dfusidic aci • swelling of the face, lips, tongue triglycerides • phenytoin, a medicine used to or other parts of the body • a type of stroke called a treat epilepsy (seizures) • rash, itching or hives on the skin. haemorrhagic stroke or a type of • oral contraceptives for birth Do not take Atorvastatin if you stroke called a lacunar stroke control have active liver disease. If you have had one of these • cyclosporin, a medicine used to Do not take this medicine if you strokes before, this medicine may suppress the immune system are pregnant or intend to become increase the risk of you having a pregnant. haemorrhagic stroke • some medicines used to treat some fungal infections, such as If you are a woman of child- • breathing problems. itraconazole or ketoconazole bearing age and are taking this Tell your doctor if you drink • medicine, use a proven method of alcohol regularly. protease inhibitors for the birth control to avoid pregnancy. treatment of HIV infection and/or If you have not told your doctor Hepatitis C, such as efavirenz, The medicine may affect your about any of the above, tell fosamprenavir, ritonavir and developing baby if you take it during him/her before you start taking boceprevir pregnancy. Atorvastatin. • spironolactone, a medicine used Do not breast-feed if you are to treat high blood pressure and taking this medicine. Taking other medicines certain types of swelling The active ingredient in Atorvastatin Tell your doctor or pharmacist if • vitamin B3 may pass into breast milk and affect you are taking any other your baby. medicines, including: • colchicine, a medicine used to treat a disease with painful, • all prescription medicines Do not take Atorvastatin if you swollen joints caused by uric acid are taking the antibiotic fusidic • all medicines, vitamins, herbal crystals. acid which is used to treat supplements or natural therapies Your doctor and pharmacist have infections. you buy without a prescription more information on medicines to be from a pharmacy, supermarket, Do not take this medicine after the careful with or to avoid while taking naturopath or health food shop. expiry date printed on the pack or Atorvastatin. if the packaging is torn or shows Some medicines may be affected by signs of tampering. Atorvastatin or may affect how well If it has expired or is damaged, return it works. You may need different it to your pharmacist for disposal. amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different If you are not sure whether to start medicines. Your doctor will advise taking Atorvastatin, talk to your you. doctor. ATORVASTATIN 10mg, 20mg, 40mg, 80mg film-coated tablets (Pharmacare®) 2 Atorvastatin helps to lower your How to take levels of cholesterol, but it does not While you are taking ATORVASTATIN cure your condition. It is ATORVASTATIN important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel well. If Follow all directions given to you you stop taking Atorvastatin, your Things you must do by your doctor and pharmacist cholesterol levels may rise again. carefully. Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress These directions may differ from the If you forget to take it can be checked. information contained in this leaflet. If it is less than 12 hours before Your doctor will ask you to have Your doctor will discuss with you the your next dose, skip the dose you your liver function tested from time need to be on a diet while you are missed and take your next dose to time while you are taking taking Atorvastatin. when you are meant to. Otherwise, Atorvastatin to make sure the Follow your agreed diet plan take it as soon as you remember, medicine is working and to prevent carefully. and then go back to taking your unwanted side effects. If you do not understand the tablet as you would normally. Your cholesterol and triglyceride instructions, ask your doctor or Do not take a double dose to make levels also need to be checked pharmacist for help. up for the dose that you missed. regularly while you are taking this This may increase the chance of you medicine. How much to take getting an unwanted side effect. If you become pregnant while you Your doctor will tell you how many If you are not sure what to do, talk are taking Atorvastatin, stop tablets you need to take each day. to your doctor or pharmacist. taking it and contact your doctor This may depend on your condition immediately. If you have trouble remembering and whether or not you are taking to take your tablets, ask your If you are about to be started on any other medicines. pharmacist for some hints. any new medicine, remind your The usual dose of Atorvastatin is doctor and pharmacist that you between 10-80 mg taken once a day. If you take too much are taking Atorvastatin.