Safety and tolerability of the use of atorvastatin 40 mg in common daily practice in short-term observation in 3,227 patients.
BACKGROUND
Statins reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality but their administration is associated with a broad array of potential adverse effects. The aim of the study was to assess the safety and tolerability of the use of atorvastatin in the dose of 40 mg a day during short-term observation in daily practice--in outpatient clinics, specialized individual practice offices and in-patient health care units.


METHODS
A prospective authorial interviewer questionnaire-based study comprised 3,227 consecutive patients who were already administered 40 mg of atorvastatin a day or just started the therapy. The mean follow-up was 38 +/- 13 days.


RESULTS
Fifty two patients (1.6% of all study participants) interrupted atorvastatin therapy due to drug-related adverse effects, which comprised mainly increased liver transaminases (0.4%) and myalgia (0.5%). In many of those patients complex side reactions were observed concerning mostly gastrointestinal disturbances (1.2%). No cases of rhabdomyolysis were reported. As many as 160 individuals (5.0%) did not continue the therapy due to economical issues, personal belief or low awareness of cardiovascular diseases and their potential complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Atorvastatin in daily dose of 40 mg is a safe and well tolerable medication for the treatment for dyslipidemic disorders in patients of different clinic profile and cardiovascular risk groups in common medical practice.
1 Oddzial Kliniczny Kardiologii i Elektrokardiologii Interwencyjnej oraz Nadciśnienia Tetniczego, Szpital Uniwersytecki w Krakowie, 31-501 Kraków, ul. Kopernika 17. putamen@interia.pl
Jerzy
J
Wiliński
Mikołaj
M
Dabrowski
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D019370:Observation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin