1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Therapy with lipid-altering agents should be only one component of multiple risk factor intervention in individuals at significantly increased risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia. Drug therapy is recommended as an adjunct to diet when the response to a diet restricted in saturated fat and cholesterol and other nonpharmacologic measures alone has been inadequate. In patients with CHD or multiple risk factors for CHD, atorvastatin calcium can be started simultaneously with diet.
Atorvastatin calcium is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor indicated as an adjunct therapy to diet to:
Reduce the risk of MI, stroke, revascularization procedures, and angina in adult patients without CHD, but with multiple risk factors (1.1).
Reduce the risk of MI and stroke in adult patients with type 2 diabetes without CHD, but with multiple risk factors (1.1).
Reduce the risk of non-fatal MI, fatal and non-fatal stroke, revascularization procedures, hospitalization for CHF, and angina in adult patients with CHD (1.1).
Reduce elevated total-C,LDL-C, apo B, and TG levels and increase HDL-C in adult patients with primary hyperlipidemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial) and mixed dyslipidemia (1.2).
Reduce elevated TG in adult patients with hypertriglyceridemia and primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (1.2).
Reduce total-C and LDL-C in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) (1.2).
Reduce elevated total-C, LDL-C, and apo B levels in pediatric patients, 10 years to 17 years of age, with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH)after failing an adequate trial of diet therapy (1.2).
Limitations of Use: Atorvastatin calcium has not been studied in Fredrickson Types I and V dyslipidemias (1.3).
1.1 Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults
In adult patients without clinically evident coronary heart disease, but with multiple risk factors for coronary heart disease such as age, smoking, hypertension, low HDL-C, or a family history of early coronary heart disease, atorvastatin calcium is indicated to:
Reduce the risk of myocardial infarction
Reduce the risk of stroke
Reduce the risk for revascularization procedures and angina
In adult patients with type 2 diabetes, and without clinically evident coronary heart disease, but with multiple risk factors for coronary heart disease such as retinopathy, albuminuria, smoking, or hypertension, atorvastatin calcium is indicated to:
Reduce the risk of myocardial infarction
Reduce the risk of stroke
In adult patients with clinically evident coronary heart disease, atorvastatin calcium is indicated to:
Reduce the risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction
Reduce the risk of fatal and non-fatal stroke
Reduce the risk for revascularization procedures
Reduce the risk of hospitalization for CHF
Reduce the risk of angina
1.2 Hyperlipidemia
Atorvastatin calcium 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 adult 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 adult patients with elevated serum TG levels (Fredrickson Type IV);
For the treatment of adult 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 (HoFH)as an adjunct to other lipid-lowering treatments (e.g., LDL apheresis) or if such treatments are unavailable;
As an adjunct to diet to reduce total-C, LDL-C, and apo B levels in pediatric patients, 10 years to 17 years of age, with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) if after an adequate trial of diet therapy the following findings are present:
a. LDL-C remains
190 mg/dL orb. 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
1.3 Limitations of Use
Atorvastatin calcium has not been studied in conditions where the major lipoprotein abnormality is elevation of chylomicrons (Fredrickson Types I and V).