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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can Atorvastatin Cause Increased Bilirubin And ALT Levels?

Hi,
My ALT is 82 and Bilirubin is 2.2. I have been given atorvas 10 mg for 2 months to reduce my cholesterol. My cholesterol was 250. Will Atorvas increase bilirubin and ALT? I have fatty liver and my ALT was always a bit higher than normal, around 60, but bilirubin was always normal.
Fri, 11 Nov 2016
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Ayurveda Specialist,  's  Response
**
Thanks for contacting HCM with your health concern

1. Atorvastatin is a cholesterol lowering statin used to reduce atherosclerosis and its complications- myocardial infarction and stroke and is associated with mild, asymptomatic and self-limited serum aminotransferase elevations during therapy but rarely acute liver injury, [commonest being cholestatic hepatitis that tends to be mild to moderate and self-limiting]

2. In some cases, [autoimmune hepatitis] there tends to be marked increase in serum aminotransferase level, so if one is on atorvastatin one should exclude this autoimmune disease with raised immunoglobulin levels, positive ANA test and liver biopsy findings of autoimmune hepatitis

3. mild elevation while on atorvastatin is self limiting and does not require dose modification, it should be stopped if there is 10 fold increase above normal or associated with symptoms of liver injury.
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Can Atorvastatin Cause Increased Bilirubin And ALT Levels?

** Thanks for contacting HCM with your health concern 1. Atorvastatin is a cholesterol lowering statin used to reduce atherosclerosis and its complications- myocardial infarction and stroke and is associated with mild, asymptomatic and self-limited serum aminotransferase elevations during therapy but rarely acute liver injury, [commonest being cholestatic hepatitis that tends to be mild to moderate and self-limiting] 2. In some cases, [autoimmune hepatitis] there tends to be marked increase in serum aminotransferase level, so if one is on atorvastatin one should exclude this autoimmune disease with raised immunoglobulin levels, positive ANA test and liver biopsy findings of autoimmune hepatitis 3. mild elevation while on atorvastatin is self limiting and does not require dose modification, it should be stopped if there is 10 fold increase above normal or associated with symptoms of liver injury.