Atorvastatin Calcium Tablet while Breastfeeding

American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical experts exclusively recommend to breastfeed the baby for first 6 months. Once you introduce baby to other foods it is recommended to breastfeed for at least first year of babys life. Taking medication while breastfeeding could be tricky as most drugs pass in breast milk. In this article we will evaluate Atorvastatin Calcium Tablet for its safety in breastfeeding.

Therapy with lipid-altering agents should be only one component of multiple risk factor intervention in individuals at significantly increased risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia. Drug therapy is recommended as an adjunct to diet when the response to a diet restricted in saturated fat and cholesterol and other nonpharmacologic measures alone has been inadequate. In patients with CHD or multiple risk factors for CHD, atorvastatin calcium tablets can be started simultaneously with diet. Atorvastatin calcium tablets are an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase (statin) indicated as an adjunct therapy to diet to: •Reduce the risk of MI, stroke, revascularization procedures, and angina in patients without CHD, but with multiple risk factors (1.1). •Reduce the risk of MI and stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes without CHD, but with multiple risk factors (1.1). •Reduce the risk of non-fatal MI, fatal and non-fatal stroke, revascularization procedures, hospitalization for CHF, and angina in patients with CHD (1.1). •Reduce elevated total-C, LDL-C, apo B, and TG levels and increase HDL-C in adult patients with primary hyperlipidemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial) and mixed dyslipidemia (1.2). •Reduce elevated TG in patients with hypertriglyceridemia and primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (1.2). •Reduce total-C and LDL-C in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) (1.2). •Reduce elevated total-C, LDL-C, and apo B levels in boys and postmenarchal girls, 10 to 17 years of age, with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia after failing an adequate trial of diet therapy (1.2). • Limitations of Use •Atorvastatin calcium tablets have not been studied in Fredrickson Types I and V dyslipidemias. 1.1 Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease In adult patients without clinically evident coronary heart disease, but with multiple risk factors for coronary heart disease such as age, smoking, hypertension, low HDL-C, or a family history of early coronary heart disease, atorvastatin calcium tablets are indicated to: •Reduce the risk of myocardial infarction •Reduce the risk of stroke •Reduce the risk for revascularization procedures and angina In patients with type 2 diabetes, and without clinically evident coronary heart disease, but with multiple risk factors for coronary heart disease such as retinopathy, albuminuria, smoking, or hypertension, atorvastatin calcium tablets are indicated to: •Reduce the risk of myocardial infarction •Reduce the risk of stroke In patients with clinically evident coronary heart disease, atorvastatin calcium tablets are indicated to: •Reduce the risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction •Reduce the risk of fatal and non-fatal stroke •Reduce the risk for revascularization procedures •Reduce the risk of hospitalization for CHF •Reduce the risk of angina 1.2 Hyperlipidemia Atorvastatin calcium tablets are indicated: •As an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated total-C, LDL-C, apo B, and TG levels and to increase HDL-C in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial) and mixed dyslipidemia (Fredrickson Types IIa and IIb); •As an adjunct to diet for the treatment of patients with elevated serum TG levels (Fredrickson Type IV); •For the treatment of patients with primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (Fredrickson Type III) who do not respond adequately to diet; •To reduce total-C and LDL-C in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia as an adjunct to other lipid-lowering treatments (e.g., LDL apheresis) or if such treatments are unavailable; •As an adjunct to diet to reduce total-C, LDL-C, and apo B levels in boys and postmenarchal girls, 10 to 17 years of age, with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia if after an adequate trial of diet therapy the following findings are present: 1.LDL-C remains ≥ 190 mg/dL or •LDL-C remains ≥ 160 mg/dL and: 2.there is a positive family history of premature cardiovascular disease or •two or more other CVD risk factors are present in the pediatric patient 1.3 Limitations of Use Atorvastatin calcium tablets have not been studied in conditions where the major lipoprotein abnormality is elevation of chylomicrons (Fredrickson Types I and V).

Statement of Manufacturer/Labeler about breastfeeding usage
8.3 Nursing Mothers It is not known whether atorvastatin is excreted in human milk, but a small amount of another drug in this class does pass into breast milk. Nursing rat pups had plasma and liver drug levels of 50% and 40%, respectively, of that in their mother’s milk. Animal breast milk drug levels may not accurately reflect human breast milk levels. Because another drug in this class passes into human milk and because statins have a potential to cause serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, women requiring atorvastatin treatment should be advised not to nurse their infants [see Contraindications (4) ].