complications of lipitor

What is the most important information I should know about Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease complications of lipitor.
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver complications of lipitor. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lipitoris the best choice for lowering your cholesterol complications of lipitor.
• Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby complications of lipitor.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained musclepain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if it is accompanied by a fever orflulike symptoms or yellowing of your skin or eyes complications of lipitor.

What is Lipitor?
• Lipitor blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in yourbody complications of lipitor.
• Lipitor is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol, totalcholesterol, triglycerides (another type of fat), and apolipoprotein B (a proteinneeded to make cholesterol) in your blood complications of lipitor. Lipitor is also used to increasethe level of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood complications of lipitor. These actions are importantin reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks,stroke, and peripheral vascular disease complications of lipitor.
• Lipitor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide complications of lipitor.

Who should not take Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease complications of lipitor.
• Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you
· drink alcoholic beverages,
· have a chronic muscular disease,
· require major surgery, or
· have a blood disorder complications of lipitor.
• You may not be able to take Lipitor, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove complications of lipitor.
• Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X complications of lipitor. This means that Lipitor willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy complications of lipitor. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby complications of lipitor. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnantor are planning a pregnancy complications of lipitor.
• It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk complications of lipitor. Do not takethis medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby complications of lipitor.

How should I take Lipitor?
• Take Lipitor exactly as directed by your doctor complications of lipitor. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you complications of lipitor.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water complications of lipitor.
• Lipitor can be taken with or without food complications of lipitor.
• Lipitor is usually taken once a day complications of lipitor. Try to take your dose at the sametime each day complications of lipitor. Follow your doctor's instructions complications of lipitor.
• Your doctor may want to monitor your liver function with blood testsbefore starting treatment with Lipitor, at twelve weeks after both the startof your treatment and any increase in dose, and periodically (every 6 months)thereafter complications of lipitor. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor can determinehow much monitoring you will require complications of lipitor.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor complications of lipitor. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects complications of lipitor. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor complications of lipitor. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor complications of lipitor.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet complications of lipitor. To realize beneficial effects fromLipitor, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods complications of lipitor.
• Do not stop taking Lipitor without first talking to your doctor complications of lipitor. It maybe weeks or months before beneficial effects are seen from this medication complications of lipitor.
• Store Lipitor at room temperature away from moisture and heat complications of lipitor.

What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember complications of lipitor. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose complications of lipitor. Do not take a double dose of this medication complications of lipitor.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention complications of lipitor.
• The symptoms of an overdose of Lipitor are not known complications of lipitor.

What should I avoid while taking Lipitor?
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver complications of lipitor. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lipitoris the best choice for lowering your cholesterol complications of lipitor.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor complications of lipitor. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects complications of lipitor. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor complications of lipitor. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor complications of lipitor.

What are the possible side effects of Lipitor?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingLipitor and seek emergency medical attention or call your doctor immediately:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· muscle aches, pain, or weakness;
· "flu-like" symptoms;
· decreased urine or rust-colored urine;
· blurred vision; or
· yellowing of your skin or eyes complications of lipitor.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur complications of lipitor. Continueto take Lipitor and talk to your doctor if you experience
· headache;
· upset stomach or flatulence; or
· a rash complications of lipitor.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur complications of lipitor. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome complications of lipitor.

What other drugs will affect Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you are takingany of the following medicines:
· cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
· gemfibrozil (Lopid);
· niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Nicotinex, others);
· clarithromycin (Biaxin);
· erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Ilotycin, Eryc, PCE, Ilosone,others); or
· fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral) complications of lipitor.
• The medications listed above interact with Lipitor and may cause damageyour muscles complications of lipitor.
• Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you are taking any of thefollowing medicines:
· other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine (Questran)or colestipol (Colestid); or
· digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps) complications of lipitor.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above complications of lipitor.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lipitor complications of lipitor. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines complications of lipitor.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Lipitor written forhealth professionals that you may read complications of lipitor.

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