Can you split a Lipitor pill?
Each half tablet contains your regular dose of medication. For example, if you are taking one tablet daily of Lipitor 20mg, you will split Lipitor 40mg and take one half tablet daily. By purchasing only half the number of pills in twice the dosage, the total drug cost is reduced.
Can you split a statin pill?
Tablet splitting, in which a higher-dose tablet is split to get two doses, reduces patients’ drug costs. Statins can be split safely. General practitioners (GPs) may not direct their patients to split statins because of safety concerns or unawareness of costs.
When splitting medications which type of pill should never be split?
Those with a hard coating and capsules of any kind are best swallowed whole because they can easily crumble, leak, or crack into pieces. Chemotherapy drugs and those that require stable daily blood levels, such as antiseizure medication, birth-control pills, and blood thinners, should never be split. 3.
What is the half life of atorvastatin?
The total plasma clearance of atorvastatin acid is 625 mL/min and the half-life is about 7 hours. The renal route is of minor importance (<1%) for the elimination of atorvastatin acid.
Can I take Lipitor every other day?
Conclusions: In hypercholesterolemia patients, atorvastatin 10 mg every other day is safe and effective in lowering TC, TG, with LDL-c and a slight increase in HDL-c.
Is it OK to split pills in half?
Splitting a pill into two equal halves is sometimes necessary when needing to adjust dosage, or as a means to save money buy purchasing higher-dose pills. However, splitting is not safe for all pills, so a person should always consult a pharmacist or doctor.
Can you cut atorvastatin 80 mg in half?
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs That Can Be Cut in Half Although they lack this groove, you may still be able to cut these medications in half. They include: Simvastatin (Zocor) Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
How can I cut a pill in half at home?
Press the tablet with your fingers evenly on each side of the score mark until the pill splits in half. Sometimes this will take a decent amount of pressure. Just make sure that you’re using the tips of your fingers to apply even, steady pressure and it will result in a clean break.
Can I cut my atorvastatin in half?
Cholesterol medications that can be cut in half Many cholesterol medications can also be cut in half. Some examples include: Atorvastatin (Lipitor) Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
Is it safe to split Lipitor in half?
Now, if you are asking whether it is safe to split a tablet to get to the recommended dosage, the answer is yes. Lipitor does not have special coating or formulation that makes it a timed-release medication. Breaking the tablet in half will not alter its function or metabolism.
What is the difference between atorvastatin and Lipitor?
Atorvastatin reduces levels of “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) and triglycerides in the blood, while increasing levels of “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL). Lipitor is used to treat high cholesterol, and to lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, or other heart complications in people…
Can I change the dose of Lipitor prescribed by my doctor?
While we can’t give you a recommendation in regard to changing the dose prescribed by your doctor, we can certainly provide some insight on how taking one-half tablet of Lipitor (atovastatin) may affect you. In situations where your doctor is inaccessible, please reach out to the office. It’s fairly common practice to assign a ‘covering’ physician.
How is LDL Lipitor used to treat high cholesterol?
Lipitor is used together with diet to lower blood levels of “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL), to increase levels of “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL), and to lower triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood).