How does atorvastatin's hmg coa reductase inhibition compare to lipitor's dose for dose?

Atorvastatin and Lipitor are the same drug. “Lipitor” is the brand name for atorvastatin, so dose-for-dose you don’t compare two different HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors—your comparison is simply between the amount of atorvastatin you take (mg) and the resulting enzyme inhibition.

What “dose for dose” means here

When people say “dose for dose” with statins, they’re usually asking whether 10 mg of atorvastatin works like 10 mg of another statin. For Lipitor vs atorvastatin, the answer is straightforward: there is no difference in the active ingredient. Taking the same milligram dose of Lipitor (atorvastatin) and generic atorvastatin should provide the same HMG-CoA reductase inhibition profile because they are the same molecule.

How dose changes the HMG-CoA reductase inhibition (and LDL-lowering) in general

Across statin therapy, increasing the atorvastatin dose increases HMG-CoA reductase inhibition and typically produces a greater LDL-cholesterol reduction. So the practical comparison is by milligram strength (for example, atorvastatin 10 mg vs 20 mg vs 40 mg vs 80 mg), not by brand vs generic.

If you meant “atorvastatin vs another statin dose-for-dose”

If your real intent was to compare atorvastatin’s potency to another statin (not Lipitor vs atorvastatin), tell me which statin and doses (for example, “atorvastatin 10 mg vs simvastatin 20 mg” or “atorvastatin vs rosuvastatin”). Dose-for-dose equivalence depends on which statin you’re comparing and the target intensity.

Sources: none provided.