Tulip is a type of medicine called statins. These drugs are used to regulate the work of lipid metabolism in the human body. As a result of taking it, blood lipids – including cholesterol and triglycerides – decrease significantly. Tulip is most commonly used in cases where low-fat diets and lifestyle changes have not achieved the desired results and blood cholesterol levels remain high.
Tulip – composition and action
The composition of Tulip consists mainly of the active substance – atorvastatin, which is responsible for the reduction of lipids present in the blood. The excess of lipids, especially cholesterol, is responsible for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Cholesterol concentration is considered dangerous when it is equal to or greater than 3 mmol / l.
Statins, including the atorvastatin present in Tulip, inhibit the activity of the most important enzyme involved in the synthesis of cholesterol. As a result, the production of cholesterol in the liver is significantly reduced, while at the same time stimulating the liver cells to take up fatty particles circulating in the blood. As a result, the overall level of cholesterol in the human body drops significantly.
When is Tulip used?
Tulip is intended for use when the following conditions have been diagnosed:
- primary hypercholesterolaemia,
- heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia,
- homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia,
- mixed hyperlipidemia.
In the case of the above diseases, the decision to treat with Tulip is made by the doctor when other forms of therapy – e.g. changing eating habits and lifestyle activation – have not brought the expected results. In this case, Tulip is administered with the simultaneous use of existing forms of therapy.
In addition, Tulip is used preventively:
- in order to counteract sudden disorders of the cardiovascular system,
- in people at increased risk of a heart attack,
- as an adjunct to treatment to reduce other risk factors.
There are also situations in which the use of Tulip is discouraged or prohibited. These include, first of all:
- liver disease or difficult to determine cause of liver aminotransferase elevations over a long period of time,
- in the case of women – the period of planned pregnancy and the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
In addition, when using Tulip, special care is recommended in the following cases:
- elderly people,
- disorders of the proper functioning of the kidneys,
- hypothyroidism
- muscle diseases or the possibility of developing such diseases as a result of genetic burden,
- people abusing alcohol,
- people with specific, negative genetic conditions,
- when previous treatment with other drugs containing statins or fibrates did not bring the expected results,
- increased risk of developing diabetes in the future.
If you meet any of the above criteria, you should inform your doctor about this fact before starting Tulip treatment.
Possible side effect
Tulip is a prescription medicine and its effects on the patient’s body should be monitored at a specialist clinic. As with all medicines, the use of Tulip may lead to certain side effects. The most common ones are:
- gastrointestinal disorders,
- hyperglycemia,
- sore throat, larynx,
- epistaxis,
- inflammation of the mucosa in the throat or nose,
- problems with sleeping,
- bad mood,
- lack of appetite
- skin allergic reactions (rash, itching),
- muscle and joint pain,
- joint swelling
- muscle cramps.
How is Tulip used?
Tulip is available as film-coated tablets for oral use. Do not exceed the daily dose prescribed by your doctor.
Typically, Tulip is taken once a day, regardless of the time of the day or meal – these factors do not significantly affect the absorption of the medicine. Most often, treatment with tulip is started with a dose of about 10 mg per day, which increases over time. The maximum daily dose of Tulip is 80 mg. The dose prescribed by a doctor may vary depending on the causes of excess cholesterol and the individual needs and predispositions of the patient’s body.
The first effects of taking Tulip should be visible after about 2 weeks after starting the treatment; Tulip reaches its maximum impact with Week 4 of treatment and this effect is sustained for the remainder of the treatment period. There are no clear restrictions on the duration of the treatment.
For children, the starting dose is also 10 mg per day, which may be increased during the course of treatment to a maximum of 20 mg per day. Tulip is not recommended for use in children under 10 years of age.