What are the usual adult doses for Lipitor (atorvastatin)?
For adults, Lipitor (atorvastatin) is typically prescribed starting at 10–20 mg once daily, with dose adjustments based on cholesterol levels and treatment goal. Many common starting or maintenance regimens fall within 10–80 mg once daily range.
What are the usual adult doses for Pravastatin?
For adults, pravastatin is typically prescribed starting at 10–20 mg once daily (often with dose adjustments based on response). The commonly used daily dose range is 10–80 mg once daily.
How do Lipitor and pravastatin doses compare in practice?
There is no exact one-to-one mg conversion between atorvastatin (Lipitor) and pravastatin because they differ in potency and dosing targets. In general, atorvastatin often achieves similar cholesterol-lowering at lower milligram amounts than pravastatin, which is why clinicians commonly titrate each drug to the patient’s LDL-C goal rather than converting mg directly.
If you’re switching between them, what’s the usual approach?
Clinicians generally:
- pick a starting dose for the new statin (often on the lower end if switching),
- recheck lipids after a period of titration,
- then adjust upward or downward to reach the LDL-C goal.
If you tell me the patient’s current dose and why they’re taking it (e.g., primary prevention vs high-risk, current LDL-C), I can help map a reasonable starting/titration range.