Telmisartan+Atorvastatin

When should one not use Telmisartan+Atorvastatin

• If you are allergic to atorvastatin, telmisartan or other ingredients of Telmisartan+Atorvastatin.
• If you have or had any liver disease or abnormality in liver function test.
• If you are being treated with medicines for hepatitis C like Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir.
• If you are pregnant, may be pregnant, are planning a pregnancy or are breastfeeding.
• If you have blockage of the duct that takes bile from the liver to the gallbladder (obstructive biliary disorders).
• If you have diabetes or kidney disorder and you have been treated with aliskiren (a medicine used to treat high blood pressure).

Common side effects of this drug are:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness
• Body pain

Other General Warnings

• You have liver or kidney disease or have a kidney transplant.
• You develop muscle problems after using other lipid-lowering medicine.
• You are taking medicines for bacterial infection like fusidic acid.
• You have difficulty in breathing, thyroid problem, diabetes or other heart-related condition.
• You suffer from narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels of one or both kidneys.
• You develop diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration, which results in low blood pressure. Increase intake of water and fluids.
• You suffer from water and salt retention in the body along with an imbalance of blood minerals (raised aldosterone levels).

How Does It Work?

• Cholesterol is made by an enzyme HMG-CoA reductase. Atorvastatin inhibits this enzyme and lowers bad cholesterol levels (LDL levels), triglyceride levels and other lipids or fats in the blood. It increases the good cholesterol known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels.
• Angiotensin II is a substance produced in the body that causes the narrowing of blood vessels. It leads to an increase in blood pressure. Telmisartan prevents the binding of Angiotensin II to its receptors and causes the blood vessels to relax and lowers the blood pressure.

Interactions with other medicines

• Some medicines affect the way Telmisartan+Atorvastatin works or this medicine itself reduces the effectiveness of other medicines taken at the same time.
• Inform the doctor regarding the medicines, supplements or herbals you take or might take to avoid possible interaction. Inform the doctor regarding planned surgery or vaccination schedule.
• If you are using blood thinners, antibiotics, steroids, pain killers, diuretics (water pills), antacids, medicines that may increase blood potassium levels like salt containing potassium and potassium-sparing diuretics, medicines to treat your heart problems, mental health problems, fits, diabetes, HIV infection.

Interactions with food items

• Intake of grapefruit juice must be limited in quantity as grapefruit may alter the effect of Telmisartan+Atorvastatin.
• Avoid high potassium-containing foods like spinach, broccoli and potatoes.

Overdose

Missed a Dose