Heart Attack Risk reduced by Lipator

Lipator (also known officially as Lipitor) is crystalline atorvastatin calcium.  Made by Pfizer Inc, it is among the best-selling anti-cholesterol medications in the world.  Studies have shown that Lipator is better than its nearest rival, Zocor (simvastatin), in reducing cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

However, price is a concern.  The price of Lipitor 10mg ranges from about $70 to $90 per month, depending on where you get it. Lipitor which is a patented product loses its patent protection in 2011.  When that happens one will see a whole barrage of generic atorvastatin products.  Zocor(simvastatin) had already lost its patent in mid 2006 and this saw a lot of generic simvastatin coming in.  Insurers in an effort to reduce costs had actively encouraged patients to switch to generic simvastatin which was priced less than a third of the Lipitor cost.

In view of the high cost of statins (the group of cholesterol lowering medicines that include Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, Crestor and Mevacor), should one therefore just not take any at all?  Bad idea.  The ultimate cost in treatment of complications of not taking statins like Lipator such as heart attacks and strokes far outweighs the cost of the medicine taken to prevent these very complications.

It is well worth noting that only one-fifth of the cholesterol we have in the blood is via dietary sources.  The balance is produced by the liver.  Most times we have noticed that in people with significantly higher levels of cholesterol, the oft-advised regimen of diet and exercise is not enough to lower levels to what we consider safe.  Thus medication will have to play a part in managing the cholesterol by acting on the liver to reduce cholesterol production.  Lipator or liptor (more correctly known as lipitor) is well known to be very effective in reducing cholesterol levels.  Lipitor or atorvastatin sodium is produced by by Pfizer Inc. in the United States and is currently prescribed to more than 29 million people in the country.

Lipator is a member of a group of drugs collectively known as statins, which are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.  HMG-CoA reductase is an enzyme involved in the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver.  What lipator does is to block the action of this enzyme, and thus cholesterol production is inhibited.

Lipator is atorvastatin calcium.  It is a white crystalline powder, and is sold in tablets of 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and 80mg.

Studies show that Lipator lowers levels of cholesterol by inhibiting the action of HMG CoA reductase which is essential for the production of cholesterol in the liver,  and also by reducing the production of LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol, and enhancing the uptake and breakdown of LDL in the cells.

Raised total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are associated with an increased rate of deposition of cholesterol in the inner lining of blood vessels and subsequent narrowing of these vessels.  Nowhere is this more significant than in the blood vessels supplying the heart and the brain.

Most people with mildly raised cholesterol levels respond well to a 10mg dosage of Lipator daily.  It is important that dietary modification be also encouraged to help in this lowering.  Regular monitoring of blood cholesterol levels is also important as a high cholesterol does not cause any symptoms, and the only way one can tell if the cholesterol level in his blood is high is to do blood tests.

The following is a list of low cholesterol foods.  This includes both foods that are low in cholesterol as well as foods that are believed to lower cholesterol levels.

1. Lean meats.  Lean red meats or white meats such as chicken or fish are rich in protein and other nutrients.

2. Nuts and grains.  These contain high dietary fiber and energy content, vitamins and minerals.

3. Fruits.  High fiber and zero cholesterol, and chock full of vitamins and minerals.

4. Vegetables.  High fiber content, vitamins and minerals, and zero cholesterol content.

Below is a food cholesterol table for your perusal.

Statins act by blocking the enzyme that the liver needs to produce cholesterol.  So far Lipator (Lipitor) has been seen to be more effective that the other statins (perhaps with the exception of Crestor) in reducing the total and LDL or bad cholesterol.  Cholesterol reduction in patients suffering from hypercholesterolemia is normally two-pronged: both controlling the diet by avoidence of high cholesterol foods such as egg yolk, fat meats, butter, coconut milk and cuttlefish, as well as by taking Lipator.

It is noted, however, statins as a group tend to have some side effects.  Although statins side effects are not very common, nevertheless they are troublesome.  The occurrence of side effects vary depending on the individual as well as the statin used. 

The most common side effects seen in Lipator are: headache and muscle aches.  If one does regular checks on the liver function of individuals on Lipator, some of this patients show a slight rise in liver enzymes, which can be interpreted as liver damage.  A slight rise is said to be tolerable in view of the benefits of Lipator, especially as it is noted that the rise falls to normal when the drug is discontinued.  However some patients show moderate to marked rises in the liver enzymes especially the GGT, ALT and AST.  These patients are advised to discontinue the drug.

Another noted potentially serious side effect is myopathy.  This may manifest in a rise in muscle enzymes in the blood (Creatine kinase) or muscle aches.

Some other claimed side effects are sexual dysfunction, memory loss and irritablility.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in animals, and all animal meats and dairy products.  It is an essential for the stability of cell membranes and the function of nerves and certain hormones.  It is essential also for the formation of bile acids that help in food digestion.

However a rise in cholesterol levels above the norm is bad for the health.  A rise in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratios is noted to be associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events, essentially heart attacks and strokes.  A rise in cholesterol levels is associated with a higher rate of deposition of this substance in the intima of the arteries with the formation of plaque and subsequent narrowing of these arteries.  Nowhere is this more significant than in the vessels supplying the heart and brain.

“So how do I lower my cholesterol?”

A few major ways are suggested.

1. A strict dietary regimen of fruit, vegetables and lean meat, with avoidance of high cholesterol foods such as egg yolk, pig brains, fat meats, butter, cuttlefish (calamari), and coconut milk.

2. Medications that have proven to lower my cholesterol such as Lipator  or Liptor (more commonly referred to as Lipitor)

3. Exercise is believed to be related to a rise in HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol.

4. Health foods believed to be associated with a cholesterol lowering effect such as oats, red yeast rice, marine fish oils, lecithin, vitamin E.