Atorvastein S3 is a cholesterol-lowering drug. The drug is produced by the Russian manufacturer ZAO Severnaya Zvezda. The medicine is produced in the form of tablets containing 10,20,40 and 80 mg of atorvastatin. Atorvastatin effectively reduces the level of cholesterol and lipoproteins in the blood. The drug is widely used for the prevention and treatment of pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

Atorvastatin reduces the concentration of cholesterol and lipoproteins in blood plasma

Description and indications for use

Atorvastatin is well absorbed in the digestive tract, metabolized in the liver and excreted by the intestines. The maximum concentration of the active substance in the blood is reached on average two hours after taking the drug. The presence and quality of food in the digestive tract affects the absorption of atorvastatin. The main indications for the appointment of atorvastatin are:

• elevated blood triglyceride levels associated with endogenous factors;
• primary increase in cholesterol in the blood of unknown origin;
• elevated cholesterol levels due to hereditary predisposition, with the ineffectiveness of diet therapy;
• high cholesterol of mixed origin;
• prevention of heart and vascular diseases associated with a violation of the lipid composition of the blood in people with a genetic predisposition, in the absence of symptoms;
• prevention of ischemic complications against the background of existing manifestations of atherosclerosis.

In addition to the above indications, Atorvastein SZ can be prescribed to people who are at risk for the occurrence of acute ischemic conditions.

This group of people includes people over 60 years of age, as well as those suffering from diabetes, diseases of the endocrine system, people with a long history of nicotine addiction.

When should the medicine not be taken?

Instructions for use of Atorvastatin SZ contain information on contraindications to the prescription of the drug. This means that when prescribing a drug, the doctor must take into account the presence of concomitant diseases in the patient, which may become an obstacle to prescribing drugs containing atorvastatin. Such contraindications in this case are:

• liver disease of any origin in the active stage, especially with more than three times the normal level of liver enzymes;
• hypersensitivity or complete intolerance to the active substance of the drug or auxiliary components;
• elevated liver enzymes not associated with established liver disease;
• use for the treatment of women who are planning to have a baby in the near future;
• the female half of the population who do not resort to adequate methods of contraception;
• intolerance to soy beans and peanuts;
• lactose intolerance, lactase deficiency, glucose-galactose malabsorption;
• period of pregnancy;
• breastfeeding period;
• also not assigned to children and adolescents under 16 years of age.

While taking Atorvastatin SZ, it is necessary to refuse alcoholic beverages

With caution, Atorvastatin SZ is used for alcohol abuse, muscle tissue diseases, sepsis, low blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, water and electrolyte imbalance, injuries, serious surgical interventions, diseases manifested by convulsive seizures.

Pregnancy and lactation

The impossibility of using Atorvastatin SZ during the period of expectation and subsequent breastfeeding is due to the fact that the effect of drugs containing atorvastatin on the developing fetus may be negative. And its ability to penetrate into breast milk has not been fully studied.

If pregnancy occurs while taking atorvastatin, the drug should be stopped immediately.

If it is necessary to prescribe statins to lactating women, lactation should be excluded in order to avoid getting the active substance into the child's body.

Before prescribing Atorvastatin SZ, the patient should be advised to follow a special diet, which includes the following measures:

1. The calorie content of food with an increase in cholesterol levels should be in the range of 2200-2800 kcal per day.
2. The amount of fat in the daily diet should not exceed more than 80 grams. At the same time, the amount of vegetable fats should be at least 30-40 grams.
3. The allowable amount of proteins is up to 100 grams per day. Moreover, more than half should be of animal origin.
4. If the patient has a risk of developing obesity, then the amount of carbohydrates should not exceed 300 grams per day.

Treatment is more effective with a non-strict diet

As in many other diets, fractional meals are welcome. That is, the total daily diet is divided into 5-6 meals - 3 main and 2-3 snacks. In addition, the diet involves the refusal or restriction of the amount of salt and fluid. Salt is not added to dishes during cooking, it is permissible to slightly salt food during meals. Liquid should be limited to one and a half liters.

Limiting salt and water will remove excess fluid from the body, which will have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.

During treatment with drugs containing atorvastatin, alcohol should be avoided and smoking should be stopped. Rare use of dry red wine up to 100 ml is acceptable. Also, a number of products are excluded from the diet:

• dairy products of medium and high fat content;
• strong meat broths and fatty meat;
• smoked sausages, kebabs, grilled dishes;
• butter, boiled eggs (more than 2 pieces per week);
• rich pastries, fried pies, donuts, brushwood cookies, confectionery with butter cream;
• fatty fish, canned fish, caviar, fried fish dishes;
• seafood;
• mayonnaise and other fatty sauces;
• "fast" carbohydrates.

All dishes should be steamed, boiled. It is possible to stew and bake products. Subject to the principles of proper nutrition, the effect of the use of Atorvastatin SZ will be more pronounced even when using small dosages.

Features of the drug and drug interaction

Atorvastein SZ tablets are taken once a day (morning, afternoon or evening). It is advisable to take the drugs at the same time of day. At the beginning of treatment, Atorvastatin SZ is prescribed in minimal dosages with periodic monitoring of blood cholesterol levels. After achieving the desired effect, the final dosage of the drug is determined. The maximum daily dose of Atorvastatin SZ reaches 80 mg.

When prescribing Atorvastatin SZ, the physician must take into account all drugs currently taken by the patient in order to exclude unwanted drug interactions. Atorvastatin S3 is able to interact with some antibacterial drugs, antiviral drugs for the treatment of HIV infection, antifungal and antihypertensive drugs. A feature of the drug is that it can not be washed down with grapefruit juice. This is due to the fact that the juice contains a substance that can increase the concentration of atorvastatin in the blood.

Unwanted Effects

Atorvastatin S3, like any drug, can cause side effects. This is usually due to the presence of concomitant pathology or an excess of the therapeutic dosage of the drug. These factors can lead to the following reactions:

• headache, nervousness, sleep disturbances, dizziness, memory impairment, asthenia, "nightmare" dreams;
• palpitations, phlebitis, heart rhythm disturbances, unstable blood pressure;
• dyspeptic symptoms;
• pain in joints, bones, muscles;
• skin rashes, accompanied by a feeling of itching;
• the appearance of signs of renal failure, impaired potency;
• allergic reactions that can manifest as urticaria, Quincke's edema, anaphylactic shock.

As a rule, with the correction of dosages, the intensity of manifestation of undesirable reactions decreases, or they disappear completely. If the above reactions occur while taking Atorvastatin SZ, you should immediately inform your doctor. The tolerability of Atorvastatin SZ, compared with other drugs in this group, is quite good. This is noticeable when conducting a comparative analysis of the occurrence of side effects.