ATORVASTATIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does atorvastatin mean? 

• ATORVASTATIN (noun)
  The noun ATORVASTATIN has 1 sense:

1. an oral drug (trade name Lipitor) that is effective in lowering triglycerides; potent in reducing LDL cholesterol because higher doses can be given

  Familiarity information: ATORVASTATIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ATORVASTATIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An oral drug (trade name Lipitor) that is effective in lowering triglycerides; potent in reducing LDL cholesterol because higher doses can be given

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

atorvastatin; Lipitor

Hypernyms ("atorvastatin" is a kind of...):

lipid-lowering medication; lipid-lowering medicine; statin; statin drug (a medicine that lowers blood cholesterol levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase)

 Context examples 

The calcium salt of atorvastatin, a synthetic lipid-lowering agent.

(Atorvastatin calcium, NCI Thesaurus)

The sodium salt of atorvastatin, a synthetic lipid-lowering agent.

(Atorvastatin Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)

Atorvastatin blocks an enzyme that helps make cholesterol in the body.

(Atorvastatin, NCI Dictionary)

Atorvastatin calcium blocks an enzyme that helps make cholesterol in the body.

(Atorvastatin calcium, NCI Dictionary)

Atorvastatin competitively inhibits hepatic hydroxymethyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a key step in cholesterol synthesis.

(Atorvastatin, NCI Thesaurus)

Also called atorvastatin calcium.

(Lipitor, NCI Dictionary)

Atorvastatin also increases the number of LDL receptors on hepatic cell surfaces to enhance uptake and catabolism of LDL and reduces LDL production and the number of LDL particles.

(Atorvastatin, NCI Thesaurus)

Like other statins, atorvastatin may also display direct antineoplastic activity, possibly by inhibiting farnesylation and geranylgeranylation of proteins such as small GTP-binding proteins, which may result in the arrest of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle.

(Atorvastatin calcium, NCI Thesaurus)