Comprimés d'atorvastatine

About atorvastatin

Lipids, or fats, are easily stored in your body and serve as a source of energy. Cholestérol is a type of lipid that is made in your liver from the fatty foods that you eat. When the concentration of cholesterol in your blood is too high, it is called hypercholesterolaemia. Although a high level of cholesterol will not make you feel ill, it can cause a problem if left untreated.

People with hypercholestérolémie can develop small fatty patches called athérome. These patches develop when excess fat is deposited on to the walls of blood vessels. Over time, these patches can make a blood vessel narrower and this is called atherosclerosis (sometimes referred to as 'hardening of the arteries'). The narrowing reduces the blood flow through the artery and increases the risk of a number of heart and blood vessel diseases, such as heart attack and stroke.

Atorvastatin belongs to a group of medicines known as statins (or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors). It reduces the amount of cholesterol made by your body. It does this by blocking the action of a certain enzyme which is needed to make cholesterol. This lowers your risk of heart and blood vessel disease. Atorvastatin can also reduce the risk of heart disease in people who have an increased risk of it, even if their cholesterol levels are normal.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking atorvastatin it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si vous êtes enceinte, essayez d'avoir un bébé ou allaitez.

• Si vous avez des problèmes avec le fonctionnement de votre foie, ou si vous avez déjà eu une maladie qui a affecté votre foie.

• Si vous avez une affection provoquant une faiblesse musculaire, appelée myasthénie grave.

• If you have a problem with unexplained muscle aches or pains.

• Si vous consommez régulièrement de grandes quantités d'alcool.

• Si vous avez une glande thyroïde sous-active.

• If you have previously had a stroke caused by bleeding into your brain.

• Si vous avez déjà eu une réaction allergique à un médicament.

• Si vous prenez d'autres médicaments. Cela inclut tous les médicaments que vous prenez et qui sont disponibles à l'achat sans ordonnance, ainsi que les médicaments à base de plantes et les médecines complémentaires.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about atorvastatin and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take atorvastatin once each day. There are several strengths of tablet available, so your doctor will tell you which strength is right for you.

• You can generally take atorvastatin at a time of day to suit you, but it is best to take your doses at the same time of day each day. You can take the tablets either before or after food.

• If you have been given atorvastatin chewable tablets, you can chew the tablets to help you swallow, or you can swallow them whole with a drink of water.

• Si vous oubliez de prendre une dose, prenez-la dès que vous vous en souvenez. Si vous ne vous en souvenez que le lendemain, sautez la dose oubliée. Ne prenez pas deux doses ensemble pour compenser une dose oubliée.

• Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so that your doctor can check on your progress. You will need to have blood tests from time to time. These are to measure your cholesterol level and also to check that your liver has not been affected by taking atorvastatin.

• Votre médecin vous donnera des conseils sur la façon de manger sainement, de réduire la quantité d'alcool que vous consommez habituellement, de diminuer la quantité de sel dans votre alimentation, d'arrêter de fumer et de faire de l'exercice régulièrement. Suivre ces conseils vous aidera également à réduire votre risque de développer des maladies cardiaques et vasculaires.

• Do not drink more than one or two small glasses of grapefruit juice a day. This is because a chemical in grapefruit juice can increase the amount of atorvastatin in your bloodstream, which can make side-effects more likely.

• Women taking atorvastatin must avoid getting pregnant. Make sure you have discussed with your doctor which types of contraception are suitable for you and your partner.

• Treatment with atorvastatin is usually long-term unless you experience an adverse effect. Continue to take the tablets unless you are advised otherwise by your doctor.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with atorvastatin, although these tend to be mild. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. Unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Si vous ressentez d'autres symptômes que vous pensez être dus aux comprimés, parlez-en à votre médecin ou à votre pharmacien pour obtenir des conseils supplémentaires.

• Gardez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

• Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.