Atorvastatin 20 mg is an oral drug that lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood. It belongs to a class of drugs referred to as statins, which includes Lovastatin (Mevacor), Simvastatin, (Zocor), Fluvastatin (Lescol), and Pravastatin (Pravachol).

Atorvastatin 20 mg, works by helping to clear harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol out of the blood and by limiting the body s ability to form new LDL cholesterol.

Your doctor may prescribe Atorvastatin 20 mg, along

Accumulation of cholesterol and fats along the walls of arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases blood flow and, therefore, the oxygen supply to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body. Lowering the blood level of cholesterol and fats may help to prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks.

Like all statins, Atorvastatin 20 mg blocks an enzyme in the liver called HMG-CoA Reductase, an enzyme that is necessary to make cholesterol.

Atorvastatin should be taken once a day, with or without food. You can take Atorvastatin 20 mg in the morning or the evening, but should hold to the same time each day. Atorvastatin 20 mg generally begins working within 2 weeks.

For an even greater cholesterol-lowering effect, your doctor may prescribe Atorvastatin along with a different kind of lipid-lowering drug such as Questran or Colestid. It s important to avoid taking the two drugs at the same time of day. Take Atorvastatin

If you take Atorvastatin 20 mg with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Atorvastatin 20 mg with any of the following:

Antacids such as Maalox TC Suspension, Colestipol (Colestid), Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral), Digoxin (Lanoxin), Erythromycin (E.E.S., Erythrocin, others), Fluconazole (Diflucan), Gemfibrozil (Lopid), Itraconazole (Sporanox), Ketoconazole (Nizoral), Niacin (Niaspan, Niacor, Slo-Niacin),

Special information on Atorvastatin 20 mg, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, Developing babies need plenty of cholesterol, so this cholesterol-lowering drug should never be used during pregnancy. In fact, your doctor is unlikely to prescribe Atorvastatin 20 mg if there is even a chance that you may become pregnant. If you do conceive while taking this drug, notify your doctor right away.

Atorvastatin 20 mg does make its way into breast milk, so you should not take the drug