Atorvastatin is a medium-strength lipid-lowering drug that focuses on lowering cholesterol and is primarily indicated for patients with primary hypercholesterolemia, including familial hypercholesterolemia or mixed hypercholesterolemia. Atorvastatin may be used to lower total cholesterol, LDL, apolipoproteins and triglycerides if diet and other medications are unsatisfactory. Statins are routinely used in patients with coronary artery disease or risk factors for coronary artery disease, such as diabetes mellitus combined with coronary atherosclerosis or hypercholesterolemia, to reduce the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction, reduce the risk of stroke, as well as reduce the risk of revascularization, reduce the risk of congestive heart failure, and reduce the risk of angina pectoris. Common doses of atorvastatin are 10 mg as well as 20 mg, mostly taken at bedtime. A common adverse effect of atorvastatin is rhabdomyolysis. The risk of rhabdomyolysis is generally increased by combining statins with beta drugs, so it is now recommended to use statins alone or beta drugs alone to lower blood lipids. Another adverse effect of atorvastatin is that it tends to cause abnormal liver enzymes, so liver function needs to be rechecked after about one week of statin use. If liver enzymes are not elevated, then atorvastatin can be continued to lower lipids. If there is no significant elevation after taking this drug orally, then it should be discontinued.