Patient/caregiver was instructed upon mechanism of action of atorvastatin as follows:
- Atorvastatin is an anti-cholesterol medication used to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and also help improve the levels of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body.
- HMG CoA reductase is a key enzyme helping in the biosynthesis of cholesterol in the liver cells. The action of this enzyme in the liver cells helps produce cholesterol within the cells, which can be used for the metabolic needs of the cell. As cholesterol is available within the environment of cell, the need for uptake of cholesterol from the blood is not realized. This will reduce the uptake of cholesterol from the blood, to be transported into the cell, which contributes to elevated blood cholesterol.
- Atorvastatin inhibits the action of the enzyme HMG CoA reductase in the liver cells. Inhibition of this enzyme inhibits biosynthesis of cholesterol in the liver cells. As cholesterol is important for the cellular needs and the cells are deplete of cholesterol due to inhibited synthesis, LDL receptors are increasingly expressed on the cells, to help promote uptake of bad cholesterol from the blood and transport it into the cells. This internalized cholesterol is degraded and utilized by the cells for their metabolic needs. Uptake of LDL cholesterol from the blood into the cells will result in reduced blood cholesterol levels.
