Three dimensional model of atorvastatin (Lipitor), a member of the statin drug class which lower blood cholesterol.

---

Atorvastatin (Lipitor), is a member of the drug class known as statins, which lowering blood cholesterol. This drug stabilizes atherosclerotic plaque and prevents strokes through anti-inflammatory and other inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-determining enzyme in the liver that produces mevalonate, a small molecule used in the synthesis of cholesterol. This lowers the amount of cholesterol produced by the body, which in turn lowers the total amount of LDL cholesterol. Atorvastatin was first synthesized in 1985. With 2006 sales of US$ billion, Lipitor is the largest selling drug in the world. There are several other statins besides Lipitor on the market. In this model, carbon atoms are shown in light blue, nitrogens in dark blue, oxygens in red, hydrogens in white, and the single fluorine atom in green.

---

Size: 4300px × 4752px
Photo credit: © Scott Camazine / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 3d, atherosclerosis, atorvastatin, cardiac, cholesterol, drug, enzyme, inhibitor, ldl, lipitor, medication, model, molecule, pharmaceutical, space-filling, statin