Why is Atorvastatin prescribed to my mother despite normal cholesterol level?

Q: A physician has prescribed Amtor (Amlodipine 5 mg, Atorvastatin 10 mg) to my 53 years old mother, even when she has normal cholesterol/lipid level. Why has Atorvastatin been prescribed?

A:Amlodipine alone (sold as Amlodac) is indicated in the treatment of high blood pressure and is quite appropriate in your mother's case. Atorvastatin is approved for use only in cases where cholesterol levels are very high and do not come down with non-drug methods. Combining Amlodipine and Atorvastatin in one pill is merely for commercial benefit. If at all Atorvastatin is clinically needed, then it should be taken separately in the appropriate dose, which can vary from 10 mg to 80 mg. Moreover, Atorvastatin has quite a few side effects, some of them such as muscle injury, quite serious.