Atorvastatin, a medication that is part of the “statin” drug classification work to slow the liver’s production of LDL cholesterol while simultaneously speeding up the liver’s processing of LDL cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Most people should try to keep their total cholesterol below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). 90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here … How does atorvastatin work? This means that even though both are available in 80 mg tablets, your provider might decide that atorvastatin is better for you if your cholesterol … The goal of atorvastatin is to lower … Send thanks to the doctor. Total cholesterol. Answered on Jun 12, 2019. Llipitor: Lipitor (atorvastatin) 40mg should lower cholesterol and LDL by about 40% sometimes more. 5 Treatment with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors also produces increases of about 5% to 10% in plasma HDL cholesterol … 5 7 8 9 Higher doses of these drugs can reduce LDL cholesterol levels by as much as 40%. A 10 mg dose of atorvastatin and a 20 mg dose of simvastatin lower LDL cholesterol by about the same degree. Aim to keep this "bad" cholesterol under 100 mg… Doses of 20 mg/d lovastatin or pravastatin or 10 mg/d simvastatin generally reduce plasma LDL cholesterol levels by about 20% to 30%.