Brief answer...given below. Detailed answer... Hello, Thanks for the query. If a person has risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes,then the goal of LDL to be achieved should be below 70,but if there are no diabetes or high blood pressure,then a target goal of LDL as 100 is optimal. The dose of ATORVASTATIN varies from 10 mg to 80 mg a day. It is said that lowest possible dose of ATORVASTATIN reduces the LDL by around 10% while the highest dose at 80 mg reduce LDL by around 55%to 60%. Although it is the discretion of your treating doctor,but the high dose at 80 mg can be associated with side effects like myalgia,myopathy,hepatotoxicity etc. You may start the treatment with 10 mg and see the response in 4 weeks. If at the end of 4 weeks,the levels are still high,the dose can be gradually increased to 20 mg and then so on. Try discussing it with your treating doctor and abide by his instruction. Lower doses are associated with lesser side effects and are tolerated well. I hope it helps however you may revert to me for any further query. Best of luck Thanks

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