Patient/caregiver was educated on the side-effects of using atorvastatin as follows: General allergic reactions Atorvastatin use can result in general allergic reactions, such as, skin rashes, hives, and itching. Some patients can present with symptoms of angioneurotic edema, such as, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, throat, and tongue, with consequent difficulty breathing. Seek emergency medical help for such findings, especially with difficulty breathing, for any appropriate measures to be considered. Gastrointestinal upset Atorvastatin use [...]

Patient/caregiver was educated on contraindications for using atorvastatin as follows: Liver disease Atorvastatin is mainly metabolized and excreted in bile, by the liver. If liver function is deficient, metabolism and excretion of atorvastatin could be slowed down. Slowing down of the drug metabolism and excretion can result in increased risk for toxicity and side-effects of the medication. Also, atorvastatin carries a risk of liver damage and compromised liver function and so, should be very cautiously [...]

Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take atorvastatin as follows: Do not crush or chew the tablet. Take the tablet as a whole. Take the medication dose at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the intake of medication. Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication. Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor. [...]

Patient/caregiver was instructed upon therapeutic uses of atorvastatin as follows: Atorvastatin inhibits a key enzyme needed for biosynthesis of cholesterol in the liver cells. Consequently, the cells are deplete of cholesterol and LDL receptors are increasingly expressed on the cells, to help promote uptake of LDL cholesterol from the blood, which is degraded and utilized by the cells for their metabolic needs. Uptake of LDL cholesterol from the blood into the cells will result in [...]

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 [...]