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Lipitor Dosage
In most cases, the recommended Lipitor dosage for patients who are just starting the medication is Lipitor 10 mg to 20 mg once a day; however, some people may start on Lipitor 40 mg once a day if their cholesterol is extremely high. The recommended Lipitor dosage for children ages 10 to 17 is begins at Lipitor 10 mg once a day; the maximum recommended dose for children is Lipitor 20 mg.
The dose of Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
- Your age
- The medical condition for which you are being treated
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may be currently taking.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dosage of Lipitor unless specifically instructed by your healthcare provider to do so.
The recommended starting Lipitor dosage for most people with high cholesterol is Lipitor 10 mg to Lipitor 20 mg once a day. Some people may start on Lipitor 40 mg if they require a large drop in their cholesterol numbers.
After several weeks, your healthcare provider may recommend that you have your cholesterol levels checked once again. If you have not reached your cholesterol goal at this time, your healthcare provider may choose to increase your Lipitor dosage. He or she may also decrease your Lipitor dosage if you experience side effects. The average daily dose for most people taking Lipitor is Lipitor 20 mg to Lipitor 40 mg once a day.
In some situations, your healthcare provider may recommend taking Lipitor every other day, instead of every day. This is usually used as a cost-saving strategy. Although Lipitor is not approved to be used in this manner, studies have shown that taking Lipitor every other day is effective for lowering cholesterol. This works because Lipitor is a long-acting medication.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD