View source for Atorvastatin

'''Atorvastatin''' (brand name '''Lipitor''') is a [[statin]] drug.

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It is used for preventing [[cardiovascular disease]] and treating [[dyslipidemia|abnormal lipid levels]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Atorvastatin|publisher=Drugs.com|url=https://www.drugs.com/monograph/atorvastatin.html|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2022-03-16|title=About atorvastatin|url=https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/atorvastatin/about-atorvastatin/|access-date=2024-05-27|website=nhs.uk|language=en}}</ref> (to lower [[cholesterol]]). In addition heart disease, it is also given to prevent [[Stroke|strokes]].<ref name=":0" /> It may also be prescribed for people with a family history of heart disease, or a long-term health condition such as [[Type 1 diabetes|type 1]] or [[type 2 diabetes]] or [[rheumatoid arthritis]].<ref name=":0" />

The medication is available as a [[generic drug]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Top 100 Drugs|date=30 March 2014 |publisher=Elsevier Health Services|isbn=9780702055157 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oeYjAwAAQBAJ&dq=Atorvastatin+inexpensive&pg=PA197|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oeYjAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA197|title=The Top 100 Drugs e-book: Clinical Pharmacology and Practical Prescribing|last=Hitchings|first=Andrew|last2=Lonsdale|first2=Dagan|last3=Burrage|first3=Daniel|last4=Baker|first4=Emma|date=2014-03-30|publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences|isbn=978-0-7020-5515-7|language=en}}</ref> In 2021, it was the most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 116 million prescriptions filled for over 28 million patients.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Top 300 of 2021|url=https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/Top300Drugs.aspx|access-date=2024-05-27|website=clincalc.com}}</ref> Atorvastatin was first synthesized in 1985 by [[Dr. Bruce Roth]] and approved by the FDA in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|last=PubChem|title=Atorvastatin|url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/60823|access-date=2024-05-28|website=pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov|language=en}}</ref> Patented by [[Pfizer]]. 

It is on the [[World Health Organization|World Health Organization's]] List of Essential Medicines.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Organization|first=World Health|date=2021|title=World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 22nd list (2021)|url=https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/345533|journal=WHO|language=en}}</ref>

== Related pages==
* Statin: [[Rosuvastatin]]
* [[Cardiovascular system]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Lipid modifying agents}}

[[Category:Statins]]
[[Category:Organonitrogen compounds]]
[[Category:Organofluorides]]


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