|
|
| Lipitor® |
 |
Review
Summary |
 Clearly, too much cholesterol is bad for our health, increasing the risk of cardiovascular problems. However, cholesterol also serves a vital purpose in the body, generating bile acids that we need for fat digestion, as well as generating hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. It is also used to create Vitamin D for skin health. However, we get cholesterol in many different ways – including our diet, and when there is too much, it ends up in the bloodstream, potentially creating heart and circulatory problems.
Lipitor®, which is also known by its generic name, Atorvastatin, is a heavily prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug that has annual sales of about $12 billion. In fact, it is credited with being the “world's best-selling medicine”. Its popularity has far exceeded other cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as Zocor, Crestor, Mevacor, Pravachol and Lescol. Let’s take a deeper look at how Lipitor® works in the body, its possible side effects and its cost.
|
| Medication at a Glance |
|
Lipitor® is a cholesterol-lowering drug, which belongs to a generation of medications called Statins. These medications are designed to enable the body to clear out detrimental low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which many of us simply know as “bad” cholesterol; while also limiting the body’s ability to form new LDL cholesterol.
|
| Medication in Focus |
|
When a doctor prescribes Lipitor®, it is only usually after other lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise and weight loss, have failed to reduce cholesterol levels. It is considered by some health care providers to be an adjunct to these lifestyle changes, and not a substitute for them. When Lipitor® is prescribed, it is often stressed by the health care provider that the individual should stick to the diet and exercise program they were given, in order to get the full benefits of this medication, and lower their risk for heart disease or stroke.
Lipitor® is a Statin, which is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor – meaning that it inhibits the enzyme used by the liver to produce cholesterol. This ability allows for the stimulation of LDL receptors, in order to increase the clearance of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, from the bloodstream. This reduces a person’s total blood cholesterol levels, however, it may only have a moderate effect on good cholesterol levels, so it may be teamed up with other medications to enable the body to produce more.
|
| Lifestyle |
|
Statin drugs, such as Lipitor®, have been associated with some intense and lifestyle altering side effects. For instance, Baycol, another Statin, was removed from the market in 2001, because it caused more muscle damage than other Statins. However, muscle and liver damage are two of the known potential side effects of all Statins, including Lipitor®. In fact, in 2006, Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of Lipitor®, was sued by two individuals who suffered lasting muscle damage from taking this drug.
There is also a potentiality for Lipitor® causing liver damage, but this is said to be a side effect of all Statins. For this reason, liver function panels are usually conducted prior to beginning this medication, and during its use. Some of the more common side effects include: abdominal pain, allergic reaction, back pain, changes in eyesight, cold, constipation, diarrhea, dry eyes, dry skin, flu symptoms, gas, hair loss, headache, heartburn, indigestion, inflammation of sinus and nasal passages, itching, joint pain, leg cramps, muscle aching or weakness, purple or red spots on the skin, rash, sore throat, urinary problems, vomiting and weakness.
|
| Positives |
|
• May reduce levels of bad cholesterol
|
| Negatives |
|
• At time, only shows modest results in raising “good” cholesterol
• Many possible side effects, including muscle and liver damage
• Other serious, potential side effects are kidney failure and even birth defects
|
| Final Thoughts |
|
It is clear from the huge sales associated with Lipitor® that it is a drug which is often prescribed to lower cholesterol levels. However, like most Statins, it may come along with some severe side effects. It is often suggest by some experts that these side effects are well tolerated, yet some people seem reluctant to risk some of the potential long-term and irreversible side effects associated with its use, such as liver and muscle damage.
For this reason, we have seen an increased interest in holistic products that may be used to lower cholesterol levels, some of which are quite effective, according to clinical studies. For instance, Plant Sterols, which are derived naturally from plants, have been shown to inhibit the absorption of “bad” dietary cholesterol, and lower overall blood cholesterol levels. Our findings show that it generates a 20-40% reduction in cholesterol in some individuals, depending upon the quantity used.
|
|
|
|
| Our
Reader's Poll Top Choice: |
Week
of: Tue Jan 06th, 2009 |
|
CholesterClear®:
CholesterClear® -
Imagine lowering your Cholesterol levels while still being able to eat the foods you love. CholesterClear® is an awesome product which literally blocks the bad cholesterol from being absorbed by the body. It does this naturally and safely because it contains certified organic highly concentrated plant sterols which have been clinically proven to effectively block 42% of the cholesterol in your food from being digested. This substance has been approved by the FDA and American Medical Association as being effective in lowering and preventing high Cholesterol, LDL and HDL levels. With over 1200 published studies declaring it works, how can you go wrong with this? Prescriptions that fight Cholesterol levels also have some ugly negative side effects associated with them – so we recommend checking this product out because it has no side effects what-so-ever. Click Here to read our full review. |
|
|
|
|
|
