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Lipitor - Indications & Dosage

[Atorvastatin]

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Lipitor is indicated:

as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated total-C, LDL-C, apo B, and TG levels and to increase HDL-C in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial) and mixed dyslipidemia (Fredrickson Types IIa and IIb);

as an adjunct to diet for the treatment of patients with elevated serum TG levels (Fredrickson Type IV);

for the treatment of patients with primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (Fredrickson Type III) who do not respond adequately to diet;

to reduce total-C and LDL-C in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia as an adjunct to other lipid-lowering treatments (e.g., LDL apheresis) or if such treatments are unavailable;

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as an adjunct to diet to reduce total-C, LDL-C, and apo B levels in boys and postmenarchal girls, 10 to 17 years of age, with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia if, after an adequate trial of diet therapy, the following findings are present:

LDL-C remains 190 mg/dL or

LDL-C remains 160 mg/dL and:

there is a positive family history of premature cardiovascular disease or two or more other CVD risk factors are present in the pediatric patient Therapy with lipid-altering agents should be a component of multiple-risk-factor intervention in individuals at increased risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia. Lipid-altering agents should be used in addition to a diet restricted in saturated fat and cholesterol only when the response to diet and other nonpharmacological measures has been inadequate (see National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Guidelines, summarized in Table 6).

. TABLE 6. NCEP Treatment Guidelines: LDL-C Goals and Cutpoints for Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes and Drug Therapy in Different Risk Categories

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Risk Category LDL Goal

(mg/dL) LDL Level at Which to Initiate Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes

(mg/dL) LDL Level at Which to Consider Drug Therapy

(mg/dL)