Atorvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering medicine from the statin group used to treat high cholesterol and triglycerides and to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke when combined with diet and lifestyle changes. It works by inhibiting the enzyme HMG‑CoA reductase in the liver, which slows cholesterol production, lowers low‑density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides, and modestly raises high‑density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol). By improving this lipid profile, atorvastatin helps prevent atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular events in adults and certain children with inherited high cholesterol.