Atorkav-SP Capsule is used for the prevention of heart attack and stroke. It also lowers the raised level of bad cholesterol (especially those who are at high risk of heart disease). A heart attack generally refers to a blocked flow of blood to the heart due to the blockage of arteries. The blockage is most often a build-up of fat, cholesterol and other substances, which form a plaque in the arteries that feed the heart (coronary arteries).

Atorkav-SP Capsule is composed of two medicines namely: Atorvastatin and Aspirin. Atorvastatin is a lipid-lowering medication which blocks the enzyme required to make cholesterol in the body. It reduces the bad cholesterol (also known as low-density lipoproteins or LDL), and triglycerides (TG). It increases the levels of good cholesterol (also known as high-density lipoproteins or HDL). Aspirin is a blood thinner or anti-platelet (anticoagulant) that collectively prevents the formation of clots in the blood vessels. Together Atorkav-SP Capsule help to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart-related chest pain (angina). Additionally, it is also given to the patients who had a recent heart bypass surgery (CABG) to control the level of cholesterol and prevent blood clots.

Your doctor will advise you on how often you take your tablets based on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience headache, ankle swelling (oedema), dark urine, muscle weakness, slow heart rate, dizziness, and nausea. Most of these side effects of Atorkav-SP Capsule do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor.

Try not to stop taking this medicine of your own. Stopping Atorkav-SP Capsule abruptly may worsen your condition and increase your risk of future heart attack. Let your doctor know if you are sensitive to atorvastatin or aspirin, have any active liver disease, active bleeding issues (like peptic ulcer, brain haemorrhage), muscle problems (myopathy, rhabdomyolysis), are pregnant or planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding. Patients should inform the doctor that they are taking Atorkav-SP Capsule before any surgery is scheduled or any new medicine is taken. Atorvastatin, present in Atorkav-SP Capsule , is a pregnancy category X drug, so it is contraindicated in pregnant women. As it may cause harm to the fetus if administered to a pregnant woman. Inform your doctor that you are taking Atorkav-SP Capsule if you are going to have any surgery.

Atorkav-SP Capsule is composed of two medicines: Atorvastatin and Aspirin. Atorvastatin is a lipid-lowering medication and it blocks the enzyme required to make cholesterol in the body. It reduces the bad cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins or LDL) and triglycerides (TG) and increases the levels of good cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins or HDL). Besides this, Aspirin prevents the formation of clots in the blood vessels. Together Atorkav-SP Capsule prevents risk of any heart attack or stroke in future.

• Headache

• Ankle swelling (oedema)

• Dark urine

• Muscle weakness

• Slow heart rate

• Dizziness

• Nausea

Let your doctor know if you are highly sensitive to atorvastatin, or aspirin, have any active liver disease, active bleeding issues (like peptic ulcer, brain haemorrhage), pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. The patient should inform the doctor that they are taking Atorkav-SP Capsule before any surgery is scheduled or any new medicine is taken. Atorvastatin present in Atorkav-SP Capsule is a pregnancy category X drug so it is contraindicated in pregnant women. Atorkav-SP Capsule contains Atorvastatin which can cause muscle problems like myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. So, any signs of muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, during the initial months of the treatment should be closely monitored. Safety and effectiveness of Atorkav-SP Capsule have not been established, so its use should be avoided in paediatric patients or children less than 12 years of age. Abrupt discontinuation of Atorkav-SP Capsule may lead to the occurrence of cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, and angina (heart-related chest pain). Hence, you should consult a doctor before stopping the dose of Atorkav-SP Capsule .

Drug-Drug Interaction: Atorkav-SP Capsule may interact with antibiotics (clarithromycin), anti-HIV drugs (ritonavir, lopinavir, darunavir, atazanavir, indinavir) and antifungal (itraconazole), blood thinners (warfarin, heparin), anti-arthritis drug (colchicine), heart-related medicine (digoxin), and immune system affecting drug (cyclosporine).

Drug-Food Interaction: Alcoholic beverages and grapefruit or its juice intake should be avoided with Atorkav-SP Capsule as it may interact with Atorkav-SP Capsule to produce unpleasant side effects.

Drug-Disease Interaction: Atorkav-SP Capsule should not be given to the patients with active liver disease, active bleeding issues (like peptic ulcer, brain haemorrhage), muscle problems or musculoskeletal problems (myopathy, rhabdomyolysis), asthma, and purpura (blood leakage under the skin).

• CLARITHROMYCIN
• RITONAVIR
• LOPINAVIR
• DARUNAVIR
• ATAZANAVIR
• INDINAVIR
• ITRACONAZOLE
• WARFARIN
• HEPARIN
• COLCHICINE
• DIGOXIN
• CYCLOSPORINE

• Eat a healthy diet especially rich in soluble fibre like beans, legumes, whole grain, flax, apples, and citrus fruits.

• Try to replace most of your saturated fats with unsaturated fats that can reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in a short span of time. Foods like avocados, olive oil, fatty fish, and nuts contain lots of heart-healthy unsaturated fats, so it’s beneficial to eat them regularly.

• Try to adopt a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fish, and low in red meat and most dairy.

• Try to give priority to more fruits and veggies in your daily meal as these contain antioxidants which help to lower LDL - low density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol)

• Minimize the intake of added sugar. The American Heart Association (ADA) recommends, one should not eat more than 100 calories (25 grams) of added sugar for women and childraen, and no more than 150 calories (37.5 grams) for men every day.

• American Heart Association recommends the intake of sodium chloride (table salt) should not exceed more than 2,300 mg per day as part of a healthy eating pattern.

• As a precautionary measure, do not consume alcohol and quit smoking.

Atherosclerosis occurs when fats, cholesterol and other substances known as plaque deposits on your artery walls that restrict blood flow. This plaque formation triggers blood clots, narrows the artery's size and makes it hardened. This, in turn, can lead to various heart complications like heart attack, heart-related chest pain (angina) and stroke. However, it can also affect the arteries of the body apart from the heart.