Lipitor and asthma medication can react in various ways in the body.
Many drugs used to lower bad cholesterol interact with other drugs such as Lipitor and asthma medication.
It is hard to foresee how patients will react to a single medication so multiple drug combinations can create serious side effects. Conversely, some medications have positive impacts on conditions they do not treat such as statins and asthma.(Berkrot, 2009) People are very complex and can exhibit unexpected reactions during drug treatment.
Some Asthma Drugs Raise Cholesterol
Certain drugs designed to help manage asthma can raise cholesterol levels which put patients at risk for heart disease. Steroids, corticosteroids, and systemic corticosteroids are types of drugs administered for asthma that can elevate cholesterol and triglyceride levels. (Asthma Society of Canada, 2010)
This increase in level is usually quite small but still a concern for people with existing cardiovascular issues. Medication should be administered to lower the bad cholesterol while still addressing asthma. People taking a combination such as Lipitor and asthma medication should also avoid grapefruit which interacts badly with both types of drugs.
Some interesting data concerning statins relieving asthma symptoms have come to light due to data compiled at Medco and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Lipitor & Asthma medications may result in less hospitalization for asthma
Researchers found that people with asthma taking statin drugs were hospitalized almost ten percent less for asthma symptoms than those patients not taking cholesterol-lowering drugs. (Berkrot, 2009)These results were presented at the 2006 American Academy of Asthma and Immunology Annual Meeting where it was made clear that statins are not a cure for asthma. The results simply raised interesting questions about drugs like Lipitor and asthma. Medications should never be used to treat conditions they were not designed to treat without a great deal of study.
Many older adults have an assortment of health concerns that require several medications. Asthma is a common condition associated with aging which requires drugs to control symptoms. Doctors need to take care not to worsen an existing issue such as high cholesterol with the asthma medication. (Asthma Society of Canada, 2010)
Physicians can prescribe an alternative drug if high cholesterol develops or suggest a combination to treat both issues such as Lipitor and asthma medication. Doctors also need to be fully informed about whether a patient already suffers from high cholesterol when treating other conditions.
Have all available facts before treatment
It is extremely important to have all available facts about medications before beginning treatment. Medications can cause other health problems such as asthma being a rare side effect of Lipitor and asthma medication elevating cholesterol.(Pfizer Inc. , 2010) Lipitor and asthma medication taken together can be unpredictable. A doctor’s supervision is required for any drug treatment and you always need to inform your physician when side effects occur.
Asthma Society of Canada. (2010, October). Treatment. Retrieved October 28, 2010, from Asthma Society of Canada: http://www.asthma.ca/adults/treatment/
Berkrot, B. (2009, March 14). Statins may keep asthma patients out of ER-study. Retrieved October 29, 2010, from Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1341957520090314
Pfizer Inc. (2010). Lipitor. Retrieved October 28, 2010, from Lipitor: www.lipitor.com/
