William is a 56-year-old male with elevated blood cholesterol and lipids. He is
ID: 245204 • Letter: W
Question
William is a 56-year-old male with elevated blood cholesterol and lipids. He is slightly overweight and has never had any significant health problems before. His doctor prescribed atorvastatin (Lipitor) for William on his last office visit 3 months ago. After finding out that his cholesterol has not decreased, William is frustrated. As he is exiting the exam room, you notice that he is caring a cup from a popular hamburger restaurant chain. He looks at you and states, "I don't understand it. I haven't changed anything at all and yet my cholesterol went up." How do you respond to William? Why do you think his cholesterol did not decrease? What can you tell William about how the medication works? What side effects does William need to know about?
Explanation / Answer
How to respond to William?
Respond to the William that medications alone won't give big changes in your cholesterol levels. You have to change your diet plan also to reduce your cholesterol levels. Ask the William that do you know how much cheese in the snacks which you are carrying in your hand right now? Do you know this snack will increase how much cholesterol in your blood. Please contact the nutritionist for your diet plan.
Why cholesterol did not reduced?
As he has not changed his dietary pattern his cholesterol levels didn't reduced.
Action:
Atrovastatin reduce the production of cholesterol in the body by that decrease the amount of cholesterol deposit in the walls of the arteries. It also increase the uptake of cholesterol from the blood to the liver inorder breakdown that to reduce LDL and triglycerides. But Atrovastatin should be used only with diet and lifestyle alterations not as a substitute for healthy living choices.
Side effects:
Muscle pain
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhoea
Abdominal pain
Insomnia
Difficulty in breathing
Rash/ itching
Dizziness
So diet plan to be changed to increase the medicine effect as well as reduce the side effects of drug.
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